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1939 Map of Bald Creek

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Bald Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Cane River winds through the high-elevation valleys of Yancey and Madison counties in this late-1930s topographic study. The landscape is defined by the intersections of the Bald Mountains, Walnut Mountains, and Sampson Mountain, with the Appalachian Trail following the ridge lines along the Tennessee state border. Small, isolated mountain communities such as Lewisburg, Bee Log, and Higgins are concentrated in the narrow river bottoms and along tributaries like Bald Mountain Creek.

Genealogical details are prominent throughout the terrain, including numerous family-named landmarks like Robinson Cem, Phillips Cem, and Elk Shoal Cem. Rural mountain life is further mapped through localized institutions such as Piney Grove Sch, Laurel Valley Sch, and several houses of worship including Mt Pleasant Ch and Harmony Ch. The map provides a look at the Appalachian highlands before modern highway development changed the connectivity between these remote hollows.