1952 Map of Big Ridge Park

About this map

Big Ridge State Park and the sprawling waters of Norris Lake define this mid-century landscape where the ridges of East Tennessee meet the Tennessee Valley Authority’s hydrologic engineering. The map documents the displacement and resettlement of the era, showing Loyston near the reservoir boundary alongside the newly established New Loyston. The rugged topography is organized by parallel heights including Hickory Pine Ridge and Chestnut Ridge, creating isolated valleys where local life centered on small institutions like Central View School and Byrams Fork Church. Genealogists will find a high density of family burial grounds, such as Shodderly Cemetery and Warwick Cemetery, which often remain as the only physical markers of families who lived here before the valleys were flooded or the park was established. The presence of Stokes Mill on Bullrun Creek reflects a rural economy still tied to local watercourses.