1949 Map of Big Clifty

About this map

Big Clifty serves as the primary hub of activity in this 1949 survey, situated along the Illinois Central railroad corridor that defines the local economy and transport network. This rural landscape on the border of Hardin and Grayson Counties is marked by a high density of small community centers, each typically anchored by a neighborhood school or church. Features such as the St Pauls Sch, Burkhead Sch, and Flatwoods Sch are scattered throughout the hills, providing a clear map of rural education patterns before the era of major district consolidation. To the north and west, the terrain becomes increasingly complex as it drops toward Rough Creek and Meeting Creek, where isolated settlements like Limp and Solway occupy the high ground between winding stream valleys. The detailed mapping of family-named landmarks like Ripstin Ridge and cemeteries such as St Elizabeth Cem offers significant value for those tracing local lineages.