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The county's boom years ended around 1920. The virgin timber had already been cut, and most of the sawmills had closed or relocated; and Mid-Continent Iron ceased its operations in 1921, with the community of Midco drying up and already a ghost town by the 1930s. In ensuing years, residents struggled to make a living, as the denuded land was of poor use for agriculture, and there was little wildlife remaining. The population steadily declined from its peak, hitting a low of 3,878 in 1970. However, outdoor tourism gradually succeeded in reversing the county's fortunes. The creation of federal and state parks, including Big Spring State Park and the Mark Twain National Forest, stimulated efforts to preserve and revive the local ecology, and improved conservation programs led to the regrowth of the forests. The inclusion of the Current River within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in 1972 sparked interest in the river's potential for recreation, and Van Buren especially became a center for canoeing, swimming, and camping. Since the 1970s, Carter County has steadily risen in both population and economic prosperity.<ref>https://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow601h.htm</ref>
The county's boom years ended around 1920. The virgin timber had already been cut, and most of the sawmills had closed or relocated; and Mid-Continent Iron ceased its operations in 1921, with the community of Midco drying up and already a ghost town by the 1930s. In ensuing years, residents struggled to make a living, as the denuded land was of poor use for agriculture, and there was little wildlife remaining. The population steadily declined from its peak, hitting a low of 3,878 in 1970. However, outdoor tourism gradually succeeded in reversing the county's fortunes. The creation of federal and state parks, including Big Spring State Park and the Mark Twain National Forest, stimulated efforts to preserve and revive the local ecology, and improved conservation programs led to the regrowth of the forests. The inclusion of the Current River within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in 1972 sparked interest in the river's potential for recreation, and Van Buren especially became a center for canoeing, swimming, and camping. Since the 1970s, Carter County has steadily risen in both population and economic prosperity.<ref>https://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow601h.htm</ref>
==Geography==
Carter County is part of the Ozark Plateau that covers much of southern Missouri. It is bordered by Reynolds County to the north, by Wayne County to the northeast, by [[Butler County, Missouri|Butler County]] to the southeast, by Ripley County to the south, by Oregon County to the southwest, and by Shannon County to the northwest. It has a total area of 509.02 square miles, including 507.36 of land and 1.66 of water.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20131021170230/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt</ref>
Most of the county is part of a subsection of the Ozarks known as the Courtois Hills, which separate the more gently rolling Salem Plateau to the west from the lower foothills to the southeast. These are among the most rugged portions of the Ozarks in Missouri, with steep ridges and deep, narrow river valleys; the difficult terrain accounted for the slow pace of settlement in the 19th century. The highest peak, Stegall Mountain near the border with Shannon County, rises about 1,348 feet above sea level, with a few of the southern river valleys plunging to as low as 400 feet.<ref>https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=6558</ref> There are numerous limestone caves, sinkholes, and springs, the most prominent of the latter being Big Spring, south of Van Buren, which is the largest spring in the Ozarks and one of the largest in the United States, with an average discharge of 470 cubic feet per second.
The chief waterway in the county is the Current River, which flows generally north to south through the middle of the county. Important tributaries include Big Spring, Rogers Creek, and Mill Creek. Most of the county is drained by the Current, with the exception of the eastern section which is in the Black River watershed.
The most important highway is U.S. Route 60, which crosses the county from west to east and connects the communities of Fremont, Van Buren, and Ellsinore. Other important routes include Missouri State Highways 21, which passes through the county's eastern half from north to south, and 34, whose western terminus is at the intersection with U.S. 60 a few miles east of Van Buren.
==Communities==
Van Buren is home to five incorporated communities, including three cities and two census-designated places (CDPs).
===Cities===
* [[Ellsinore, Missouri|Ellsinore]]
* [[Grandin, Missouri|Grandin]]
* [[Van Buren, Missouri|Van Buren]] (county seat)
===CDPs===
* [[Fremont, Missouri|Fremont]]
* [[Hunter, Missouri|Hunter]]
==References==
==References==