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1958 Map of Atkins

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Atkins
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Atkins and Sugar Grove anchor this 1958 survey of Smyth County, showing a landscape defined by the parallel ridges of Chestnut Mountain and Brushy Mountain. The northern corridor is dominated by the Norfolk and Western RR and the Lee Highway, facilitating transit through settlements like Mt Carmel and Middle. In contrast, the southern portion of the map reveals a more industrial and rural character, where the South Fork Holston River winds past Roberts Mill and the small community of Slabtown.

Local history and genealogy are well-represented by numerous family-named burial grounds, including the Cedar Bluff Ch Atkins Cem and Ridgelawn Cem. The era's land use is visible in the scattered strip mines and sand pits within the Jefferson National Forest, while recreational and conservation landmarks like the Appalachian Trail and the State Fish Hatchery highlight the managed nature of the Virginia highlands.