2010 Map of Big Ridge Park

About this map

Big Ridge Lake and the Big Ridge Recreation Dam anchor the northern landscape of this region, where the terrain is defined by a dense network of ridges and narrow valleys. This area in East Tennessee is home to a significant concentration of family burial grounds and small community cemeteries, reflecting generations of local settlement. Genealogists will find numerous sites of interest, from the New Loyston Cemetery to the Byrams Fork Cemetery and Vandagriff Cemetery. The map illustrates a rural economy historically tied to the land and its waterways, such as Hinds Creek and Bullrun Creek. Distinctive place names like Blue Mud Valley, Texas Valley, and Possum Valley highlight the local vernacular and the way the population dispersed throughout the ridge-and-valley landscape. Landmarks such as the Andersonville Dock suggest the importance of the lake for both local recreation and geography.