1927 Map of Big Junction

About this map

Whigg Cabin sits high in the high mountain country where the border of Tennessee and North Carolina follows the divide of the Unicoi Mountains. This 1927 survey, compiled in part from early aerial photography by the Tennessee Valley Authority, documents the intricate headwaters of the Tellico River and the Beaverdam River. The landscape is defined by its complex drainage network, where names like Peckerwood Creek, Mistletoe Creek, and Sugar Tree Branch indicate a wilderness used for timbering and grazing. High-altitude clearings such as Stratton Meadow and Swan Meadows appear alongside prominent peaks including Haw Knob and the namesake Big Junction. The map shows a primitive road network crossing at Beech Gap and Hogjaw Gap, marking the early routes through the Cherokee National Forest and Unaka National Forest before modern development.