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1939 Map of Bethlehem

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Bethlehem
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1939
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1939

About this map

Bethlehem sits at a prominent bend in the Ohio River, serving as a focal point for this 1930s survey along the Indiana and Kentucky border. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition from the river bottomlands to the steep, dissected bluffs of Clark and Jefferson Counties. Inland, the high ground is traversed by Flint Ridge Road, connecting rural communities and family landmarks such as Turner Cem and Fairview Sch.

Settlement patterns follow the upland ridges and creek valleys, with Elizabeth Ch and Bethel Ch anchoring local life between the ravines of Big Saluda and Camp Creek. This preliminary edition, surveyed by G. F. Westinghouse, provides a clear view of the complex drainage network including Pattons Cr and Corn Cr before mid-century infrastructure changes altered many riverfront communities. The map is particularly useful for locating small crossroads settlements like Paynesville and Marble Hill that were essential to the pre-war rural economy.