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1953 Map of Bethlehem

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Bethlehem
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Ohio River carves a deep, winding channel through this mid-century survey of the borderlands between Clark and Jefferson counties in Indiana and Trimble County in Kentucky. The river’s prominent bend shelters the settlement of Bethlehem, where the Cem Bethlehem serves as a vital record for local genealogists. Opposite the river in Kentucky, the terrain rises sharply toward Rodgers Ridge, with numerous narrow drainages like Corn Creek and Barebone Creek dissecting the high ground.

Upland life in the early 1950s is marked by a network of small community centers and rural landmarks. In the Indiana portion, the township of Bethlehem features clustered points of interest such as Elizabeth Ch, Bethel Ch, and the high point at Marble Hill. Across the water, the Kentucky side reveals smaller outposts like Wises Landing and its nearby Schoolhouse, along with family-named sites such as Mahoney Cem and Turner Cem, which illustrate the localized nature of the river-valley settlements during this era.