1935 Map of Benton

About this map

The confluence of the Hiwassee River and Ocoee River anchors this 1935 Tennessee Valley Authority survey of Polk County. The landscape is defined by the river-and-rail economy of the Depression era, where the Louisville and Nashville railroad tracks parallel the Ocoee, serving Benton Station and the county seat at Benton. This period represents a critical moment in regional history, as traditional infrastructure like Longwill Ferry and the Cooks Ferry Site appears alongside the modern Tenn Electric Power Company Transmission Line. Small-scale industry is still evident at Chestuee Mills and Old Wilson Mill, while the social fabric of the rural valley is documented through numerous community landmarks, including Wiregrass Chapel, Harmony Sch, and Ross Chapel Sch. The map also captures the early extent of the Cherokee National Forest along the eastern margin.