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1961 Map of Asheville

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Asheville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1993
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1993

About this map

The confluence of the French Broad River and the Swannanoa River anchors this 1961 portrait of the Buncombe County mountain region. The urban core of Asheville is depicted during a period of significant post-war expansion, with the purple tint indicating the widening reach of residential and commercial development. Industrial footprints remain prominent, notably near Sayles Village and along the Southern Railway corridors. Local history and genealogy are well-represented by long-standing landmarks such as the expansive Riverside Cem and several community hubs like the West Chapel Cem & Ch.

Beyond the city limits, the terrain transitions into the managed timberlands of the Pisgah National Forest. The landscape is dotted with neighborhood-defining institutions, from the University of North Carolina at Asheville to the Asheville-Buncombe Technical College. The map also captures the early layout of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the emerging interstate system, illustrating the region's mid-century shift toward increased tourism and motor-travel accessibility.