1947 Map of Alto

About this map

The Cumberland Escarpment looms over the eastern edge of this landscape, where the plateau drops sharply into the fertile lowlands of the Elk River basin. Originally mapped in the late 1940s, the terrain shows a dense network of family-named cemeteries and rural institutions that define the social fabric of settlements like Pelham, Alto, and Prairie Plains. The presence of the Arnold Air Force Station Wildlife Management Area and the Woods Reservoir indicates the mid-century transition toward federal land management and water control. Transport history is anchored by the Dixie Highway and traditional river crossings such as Dabbs Ford Bridge and Rutledge Ford, which served as vital connectors before modern infrastructure bypassed these local routes. The map is particularly rich for genealogists, detailing dozens of small family burial grounds including the Cash Cem, Ooley Cem, and Partin Cem scattered across the Pelham Valley.