2019 Map of Alarka

About this map

The Little Tennessee River snakes through the southern portion of this region, defining the local geography with major bends such as Coggins Bend and Raby Bend. These river features provided natural locations for early settlement and river crossings, evidenced by the McCoy Bridge and the namesake Lost Bridge. Small communities such as Oak Grove, Stiles, and Cowee are situated along the valley floors, while the northern terrain rises into the Cowee Mountains and the protected lands of the Nantahala National Forest. Genealogists will find a wealth of family history in the numerous small burial grounds dispersed across the ridges and coves, including Davis Cem, Brendle Cem, and the Shepherd Cem. The map reveals a landscape where road 28 follows the old contours of the land, connecting isolated settlements like Leatherman and Alarka within the steep topography of the Swain Co and Macon Co boundary.