1958 Map of Altoona

About this map

Altoona and Walnut Grove anchor this 1950s survey of the intersection between the Blount and Etowah county lines. The landscape is defined by the sharp ridges of Sand Mountain, Red Mountain, and Straight Mountain, which channel local movement through gaps like Silver Gap and Tanyard Gap. The economic life of the era is visible in the industrial footprint of Strip mines near the Louisville and Nashville RR and the Nashville and Chattanooga RR. Numerous community landmarks, including Snead Chapel, New Emmaus Ch, and the Altoona-Walnut Grove Cemetery, are plotted alongside rural intersections such as Ellison Crossroads. Water flows through the valley floor via the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River, which is crossed by the Thompson Bridge, while smaller features like Minnow ponds and Hanna Pond dot the agricultural landscape between the mountains.