1954 Map of Weldon Spring

About this map

Weldon Spring Ordnance Works and its surrounding reservation boundary dominate the northern landscape of this Missouri River corridor. The map documents a period of significant land-use transition, where former industrial and military sites give way to the August A Busch Memorial Wildlife Area and the University of Missouri Experimental Farm. Along the historic Boones Lick Road, small communities like Cottleville and Weldon Spring maintain their mid-century character amidst expanding infrastructure. To the south, the Missouri River loops around Howell Island, separating St. Charles County from the growing suburban developments and aviation hubs in St. Louis County, including the Spirit of St Louis Airport and Lobmaster Airport. This survey captures the region just as the Daniel Boone Bridge and modern pipelines begin to reshape the old river-and-rail economy defined by the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad.