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2016 Map of Avondale

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Avondale
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

Clinch Mountain and the parallel folds of Copper Ridge dominate this section of Grainger County, creating a landscape of narrow valleys and isolated hollows. Between these ridges, the settlements of Avondale and Thorn Hill are defined by a complex network of springs, including Red Sulfur Spring, Lithia Spring, and White Sulfur Spring at Avondale Springs. These water sources were historically significant for local communities and travelers moving through Notchy Gap or along Richland Valley.

Genealogists will find a high density of family and community burial grounds, such as the Slave Cem, Helton Springs Cem, and Richland Cem. The map traces the transition from the high ridges of the Richland Knobs down to the shores of Cherokee Lake and Norris Lake, illustrating how the geography of the Tennessee Valley dictated the placement of homesteads in areas like Kettle Hollow and Buffalo Hollow.