1926 Map of Barton

About this map

The Tennessee River corridor in Northwest Alabama is defined here by its steep, creek-cut terrain and the critical transit corridor of the Southern Railway. Surveyed in 1925, the map captures a rural landscape where life centered on a dense network of one-room schools and country churches like Evening Shade Church and Mountain Spring Church. The northern edge of the map shows the complex river geography of Sevenmile Island before later hydroelectric projects significantly altered the river's character. Inland, the topography is dominated by deep drainage systems like Buzzard Roost Creek and Cane Creek, which dictated the location of small settlements such as Barton and Frankfort. This sheet is an essential resource for tracing vanished local landmarks, including the numerous family-named schools like Jonesboro School and Thorn School that once anchored these hillside communities.