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1958 Map of Atkins

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Atkins
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Atkins and the surrounding Smyth County landscape are defined by the parallel valleys of the Middle Fork Holston River and the South Fork Holston River during the late 1950s. The northern corridor is anchored by the Norfolk and Western Railway and the Lee Highway, serving established communities like Mt Carmel and Middle. In contrast, the southern portion of the map is characterized by the dense timber of the Jefferson National Forest, where the topography rises sharply toward Dickey Knob and Brushy Mountain.

Evidence of local industry and rural life is scattered throughout, from the State Fish Hatchery near Furnace Hill to the Roberts Mill site in the south. Genealogists will find a wealth of family history in the numerous burial grounds, such as Wassum Cem, McGhee Cem, and Porter Cem, while early infrastructure is marked by the winding path of the Appalachian Trail and the presence of several strip mines indicating the area's mineral extraction history.