2017 Map of West Helena

About this map

West Helena and the surrounding Phillips County countryside are defined by the meeting of established agricultural lowlands and the wooded rises of the St. Francis National Forest. In this 2017 study, the landscape reveals a dense network of local history through its numerous burial grounds, such as Mount Pleasant Cem and Oak Grove Garden Cem, which anchor the smaller communities of Lexa, Southland, and Huma. The transition from the delta-like flatlands, drained by the Beaver Bayou Ditch and Caney Cr, to the higher ground of the forest is a primary geographical feature. The presence of the Thompson-Robbins Airport and various named road junctions like Wycamp and Pillar show the modern infrastructure layered over the older settlement patterns. Small water bodies like Storm Cr Lake and Crooked Cr wind through the hills, providing a sharp contrast to the straight-line drainage ditches that dominate the southwestern portion of the quadrangle.