1976 Map of Belmont

About this map

South Fork River snakes through this orthophotoquad, defining the industrial and residential geography of Gaston County during the mid-1970s. This aerial perspective, captured in early 1976, provides a visual record of the established textile centers of Belmont and Cramerton as they expanded toward the shoreline. The transition from compact town centers to more dispersed suburban development is evident, particularly near Elmore Crossroads. The southern portion of the sheet is dominated by the intricate inlets and fingers of Lake Wylie, showing how the impounded river transformed the local topography into a sprawling waterfront landscape. This specific survey type replaces traditional topographic contour lines with rectified aerial imagery, allowing for the direct identification of individual structures, forest boundaries, and early lakeside subdivisions that would soon reshape the regional economy.