1893 Map of Versailles

About this map

The Osage River and its major tributaries, the Niangua River and Grandglaize Creek, dominate this late 19th-century landscape long before the creation of Lake of the Ozarks. At this time, Linn Creek sits at the confluence of the rivers, and Bagnell serves as a key river-bound settlement before the era of major dam construction. The presence of the Osage Iron Works on Bolinger Creek speaks to the early industrial ventures of the Ozark hills, while the Missouri Pacific Railroad connects the northern county seat of Versailles to the wider region. To the east, the rail line stimulates growth in towns like Eldon and Aurora Springs. The map reveals a highly dissected terrain of ridges and hollows, such as Anderson Hollow, populated by small agricultural and milling centers including Gravois Mills and Barnettsville which served the local farming communities of Morgan and Camden counties.