1946 Map of Big Ridge

About this map

Nantahala National Forest covers much of this high-elevation landscape in Jackson County, where the headwaters of the Tuckasegee River carve through a complex network of peaks and ridges. The 1946 field examination by the Tennessee Valley Authority records a rural landscape defined by narrow valleys and steep summits like Lizzie Mountain and Henderson Mtn. While much of the area is forested, human footprints appear at the Indian Place and the Rock Bridge Sch, which served families along the upper creeks. Water is the central theme of this terrain, from the Onion Cliff Falls to the artificial reservoir of Glenville Lake, which sits at an elevation of 3,492 feet. The map highlights the transition between the high Blue Ridge Divide and the river basins below, capturing the location of local landmarks like the Big Ridge Ch and Merrie Woode Camp before mid-century changes.