1948 Map of Beans Creek

About this map

Belvidere and the surrounding agricultural valley of Beans Creek define this landscape just after the mid-century. The Louisville and Nashville railroad cuts a diagonal path through the northwest, serving the small communities of Maxwell and Old Salem. The valley is dotted with family-named cemeteries such as Hatchett Cem, Needmore Cem, and Vanzandt Cem, providing a detailed record for genealogical study. To the east and south, the terrain rises sharply into the wooded ridges of Buncombe Ridge and Flat Top. These uplands are marked by numerous hollows like Gugelman Hollow and distinctive formations such as the Punch Bowl. The presence of Hickory Mill Spring and Rock Spring suggests the importance of natural water sources to the local economy and early settlement patterns before modern infrastructure reached the more remote corners of the county.