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36-713: The route runs through the Boston Mountains (a subsection of The Ozarks ) in Arkansas for 38 miles (61 km) in Crawford and Washington Counties . The route begins at Alma and runs north to Fayetteville . The route includes the Bobby Hopper Tunnel , the only road tunnel in Arkansas. This portion of I-49 was completed in 1999, when it was part of I-540, to bypass the aging US 71. Also part of

72-411: A concept of physiographic regions while a conflicting trend among geographers was to equate physiography with "pure morphology," separated from its geological heritage. In the period following World War II, the emergence of process, climatic, and quantitative studies led to a preference by many Earth scientists for the term "geomorphology" in order to suggest an analytical approach to landscapes rather than

108-437: A descriptive one. In current usage, physiography still lends itself to confusion as to which meaning is meant, the more specialized "geomorphological" definition or the more encompassing "physical geography" definition. For the purposes of physiographic mapping, landforms are classified according to both their geologic structures and histories. Distinctions based on geologic age also correspond to physiographic distinctions where

144-549: A diverse, often darter-dominated community occurs along with nearly equal proportions of minnows and sunfishes. During low flows, streams usually run clear but, during high flow conditions, turbidity in the Boston Mountains tends to be greater than in the Ouachitas. Summer flow in many small streams is limited or non-existent but isolated, enduring pools may occur. The Boston Mountains are a physiographic section of

180-603: A popular geographical tool in the United States, indicated by the publication of a USGS shapefile that maps the regions of the original work and the National Park Services's use of the terminology to describe the regions in which its parks are located. Originally used in North America , the model became the basis for similar classifications of other continents. During the early 1900s,

216-605: Is a Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. states of Arkansas and Oklahoma . Part of the Ozarks , the Boston Mountains are a deeply dissected plateau . The ecoregion is steeper than the adjacent Springfield Plateau to the north, and bordered on the south by the Arkansas Valley . The Oklahoma portion of the range is locally referred to as

252-469: Is intimately associated with certain branches of geology, as sedimentation , while geomorphology connects physiography with geography. The dynamic interlude representing the active phase of physiography weaves the basic threads of geologic history." The U.S. Geological Survey defines physiography as a study of "Features and attributes of earth's land surface", while geomorphology is defined separately as "Branch of geology dealing with surface land features and

288-474: Is sometimes as the science which describes and explains the physical features of the earth's surface". By 1911, the definition of physiography in Encyclopædia Britannica had evolved to be "In popular usage the words 'physical geography' have come to mean geography viewed from a particular standpoint rather than any special department of the subject. The popular meaning is better conveyed by

324-647: Is the Osage people ’s name for themselves in the Dhegiha Siouan language . Turner Ward Knob (TWK) is the second highest named peak, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) east of Wahzhazhe Summit. Located in western Newton County, Arkansas , its elevation is 2,463 feet (751 m). Nearby, four other unnamed peaks have elevations at or slightly above 2,560 feet (780 m). The other three highest peaks are located 4–5 miles (6.4–8.0 km) south-southwest of Turner Ward Knob along Arkansas Highway 16 . The Boston Mountains are

360-661: The Cookson Hills . There are several theories of how the mountains were named, though apparently none are related to the Massachusetts city. The Boston Mountains ecoregion has been subdivided into two Level IV ecoregions . The ecoregion is mountainous, forested, and underlain by Pennsylvanian sandstone , shale , and siltstone . It is one of the Ozark Plateaus; some folding and faulting has occurred but, in general, strata are much less deformed than in

396-732: The Mulberry River , Lee Creek , Frog Bayou, Big Piney Creek, Illinois Bayou, and the Little Red River . To the south, the Arkansas River valley separates the Boston Mountains from the Ouachita Mountains . In Arkansas, the Boston Mountains are found in the following counties: Boone , Carroll , Cleburne , Conway , Crawford , Franklin , Independence , Johnson , Madison , Newton , Pope , Searcy , Stone , Van Buren , and Washington . In Oklahoma,

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432-511: The Ouachita Mountains . Maximum elevations are higher, soils have a warmer temperature regime, and carbonate rocks are much less extensive than in the Ozark Highlands . Physiography is distinct from the Arkansas Valley . Upland soils are mostly Ultisols that developed under oak-hickory and oak-hickory-pine forests . Today, forests are still widespread; northern red oak , southern red oak , white oak , and hickories usually dominate

468-640: The Ozark Highlands Trails . These rough roads became obsolete with the establishment of the Butterfield Overland Mail , a stagecoach route from St. Louis, Missouri to San Francisco, California that traversed the Boston Mountains in Northwest Arkansas. This route has been preserved in part as Arkansas Highway 265 and is well marked throughout Fayetteville and other Northwest Arkansas cities. US 71 replaced

504-400: The 21st century, some confusion remains as to exactly what "physiography" is. One source states "Geomorphology includes quaternary geology, physiography and most of physical geography", treating physiography as a separate field, but subservient to geomorphology. Another source states "Geomorphology (or physiography) refers to the study of the surface features of the earth. It involves looking at

540-554: The Boston Mountains are found in these counties: Adair , Cherokee , Muskogee , Sequoyah , and Wagoner . Physiographic regions of the world Physiographic regions are a means of defining Earth 's landforms into independently distinct, mutually exclusive areas, independent of political boundaries. It is based upon the classic three-tiered approach by Nevin M. Fenneman in 1916, that separates landforms into physiographic divisions, physiographic provinces , and physiographic sections. The classification mechanism has become

576-461: The Ozarks. Summits can reach elevations of just over 2,560 feet (780 m) with valleys 500 feet (150 m) to 1,550 feet (470 m) deep. Wahzhazhe Summit (formerly known as Buffalo Lookout), is the highest point in the Ozarks at 2,561 feet (781 m), and is located in the Boston Mountains, 3.4 miles (5.5 km) east of Pettigrew, Newton County, Arkansas , at N35.8637°, W093.4931°. Wahzhazhe

612-403: The case. A maturely dissected plateau may grade without a break from rugged mountains on the one hand to mildly rolling farm lands on the other. So also, forms which are not classified together may be superficially similar; for example, a young coastal plain and a peneplain . In a large number of cases, the boundary lines are also geologic lines, due to differences in the nature or structure of

648-422: The definition of the term physiography. "In England, physiography is regarded as the introduction to physical science in general. It is made to include the elements of physics , chemistry , astronomy , physical geography, and geology , and sometimes even certain phases of botany and zoology . In America, the term has a somewhat different meaning. It is sometimes used as a synonym for physical geography, and

684-401: The distribution of land, water, soil and rock material that forms the land surface. Land is closely linked to the geomorphology of a particular landscape", regarding physiography as synonymous with geomorphology. Yet another source states "Physiography may be viewed from two distinct angles, the one dynamic, the other passive". The same source continues by stating "In a large fashion geodynamics

720-418: The facts of mathematical geography, and the three are so closely inter-related that they cannot be rigidly separated in any discussion". The 1919 edition of The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge further adjusted the definition to be "Physiography (geomorphology), now generally recognized as a science distinct from geology, deals with the origins and development of land forms, traces out

756-540: The field. In Germany, Oscar Peschel in 1870, proposed that geographers should study the morphology of the Earth's surface, having an interest in the study of landforms for the development of human beings. As the chair of geography (and a geologist by training) in Bonn, Germany, Ferdinand von Richthofen made the study of landforms the main research field for himself and his students. Elsewhere, Thomas Henry Huxley 's Physiography

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792-400: The forms are so recent as to be in their first erosion cycle , as is generally the case with sheets of glacial drift . Generally, forms which result from similar histories are characterized by certain similar features, and differences in history result in corresponding differences of form, usually resulting in distinctive features which are obvious to the casual observer, but this is not always

828-434: The larger Ozark Plateaus province, which in turn is part of the larger Interior Highlands physiographic division. The area is underlain by Pennsylvanian sandstone, shale, and siltstone, where some folding and faulting has occurred. The sandstone beds become thinner with higher shale content in the west as the mountains decline in elevation. The range covers an area of 5,770 square miles (14,900 km ). The rocks of

864-465: The loop is 42 miles (68 km) of US 71 between Alma and Fayetteville . The US 71 segment allows travelers to go at their own pace through the area. There are many areas and a number of small towns to stop and explore along the US 71 segment as opposed to the bustling interstate segment that bypasses these areas and towns. The first routes through the area were Native American Trails, later formalized into

900-447: The processes of contemporary change in the crust and the circulation of the fluid envelopes. It thus draws upon physics for the explanation of the phenomena with the space-relations of which it is specially concerned. Physical geography naturally falls into three divisions, dealing respectively with the surface of the lithosphere – geomorphology; the hydrosphere – oceanography ; and the atmosphere – climatology . All these rest upon

936-501: The processes that create and change them". Partly due to this confusion over what "physiography" actually means, some scientists have refrained from using the term physiography (and instead use the similar term geomorphology) because the definitions vary from the American Geological Institute's "the study and classification of the surface features of Earth on the basis of similarities in geologic structure and

972-518: The region are essentially little disturbed, flat-lying sedimentary layers of the Paleozoic age. The highest ridges and peaks are capped by Pennsylvanian sandstone and shale . The deeply eroded valleys are cut into Mississippian limestones and below that layer Ordovician dolomites . The Boston Mountains form the southwestern part of the Ozark plateau where they are the highest portion of

1008-655: The source of rivers and streams that flow out from the mountains in all directions. Within a 3 miles (4,800 m) radius of a point just west of the summits discussed above are located the sources of the White River , the Buffalo River , the Kings River , War Eagle Creek , and Little Mulberry Creek . Other rivers and streams having their headwaters in the Boston Mountains include the Illinois River ,

1044-509: The stagecoach route when the United States Numbered Highways system came to Arkansas in 1926. U.S. Route 71 in conjunction with Arkansas Highway 23 served the Northwest Arkansas area for many years, but as the area grew the routes became congested. The need for a limited-access highway became apparent, and Interstate 49 was completed through the area by 1999. Boston Mountains The Boston Mountains

1080-401: The study of regional-scale geomorphology was termed "physiography". Physiography later was considered to be a portmanteau of " physi cal" and "ge ography ", and therefore synonymous with physical geography , and the concept became embroiled in controversy surrounding the appropriate concerns of that discipline. Some geomorphologists held to a geological basis for physiography and emphasized

1116-434: The topographic expression of structure, and embodies a logical history of oceanic basins, and continental elevations; of mountains , plateaus and plains ; of hills and valleys. Physical geography is used loosely as a synonym, but the term is more properly applied to the borderland between geography and physiography; dealing, as it does, largely with the human element as influenced by its physiographic surroundings". Even in

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1152-484: The underlying rocks. The history of "physiography" itself is at best a complicated effort. Much of the complications arise from how the term has evolved over time, both as its own 'science' and as a synonym for other branches of science. In 1848, Mary Somerville published her book Physical Geography which gave detailed descriptions of the topography of each continent, along with the distribution of plant, animals and humans. This work gave impetus to further works along

1188-493: The uplands, but shortleaf pine grows on drier, south- and west-facing slopes underlain by sandstone. Pastureland or hayland occur on nearly level ridgetops, benches, and valley floors. Population density is low; recreation, logging, and livestock farming are the primary land uses. Water quality in streams is generally exceptional; biochemical, nutrient, and mineral water quality parameter concentrations all tend to be very low. Fish communities are mostly composed of sensitive species;

1224-476: The word physiography, a term which appears to have been introduced by Linnaeus , and was reinvented as a substitute for the cosmography of the Middle Ages by Professor Huxley. Although the term has since been limited by some writers to one particular part of the subject, it seems best to maintain the original and literal meaning. In the stricter sense, physical geography is that part of geography which involves

1260-604: Was published in 1877 in Britain . Shortly after, the field of "physical geography" itself was renamed as "physiography". Afterwards, physiography became a very popular school subject in Britain, accounting for roughly 10% of all examination papers in both English and Welsh schools, and physiography was now regarded as an integral, if not the most important aspect of geography. In conjunction with these 'advances' in physiography, physically and visually mapping these descriptive areas

1296-645: Was underway as well. The early photographers and balloonists, Nadar and Triboulet, experimented with aerial photography and the view it provided of the landscape. In 1899, Albert Heim published his photographs and observations made during a balloon flight over the Alps; he is probably the first person to use aerial photography in geomorphological or physiographical research. The block diagrams of Fenneman, Raisz, Lobeck and many others were based in part upon both aerial photography and topographic maps, giving an oblique "birds-eye" view. By 1901, there were clear differences in

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