1953 Map of Barton

About this map

Mills Ridge and Sand Mountain dominate this mid-century survey of Colbert County, Alabama, where industrial development and agricultural heritage converge. The corridor along the Lee Highway and the Southern railroad tracks shows a landscape in transition, featuring a Barton Compressor Station, several microwave towers, and a drive-in theater near the Cherokee city limits. To the south, the terrain becomes more dissected by creek hollows, housing the Thomas Wildlife Refuge and the Colbert Wildlife Management Area. Genealogists will find several burial grounds including Watkins Cem and Mountain Mills Cem, while local historians can trace the settlement at Newsom Springs, which features both old and new cemetery sites. The topography is defined by numerous family-named ridges and hollows like Burcham Hollow and Fielder Ridge, illustrating the long-established rural settlement patterns of the region.