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1936 Map of Birmingham

Name: 1936 Topographic Map of Birmingham
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1936
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1936

About this map

Tennessee River navigation and transport dominate this 1936 survey, showing the landscape just before massive hydro-engineering projects transformed the valley. The settlement of Birmingham serves as a central hub, connected to the eastern banks by the Birmingham Ferry. To the north, Grand Rivers sits near the narrow land strip between the Tennessee and the Cumberland River, a critical geographic chokepoint. The map documents an economy rooted in river landings and local industry, evidenced by Boyds Landing and the Star Lime Works.

Family and community life are recorded through numerous rural institutions like Pisgah Ch, Point Necessity Sch, and Cleveland Sch. The terrain is marked by a complex network of creeks such as Bear Creek and Vogel Creek, which feed into the main river channel around Birmingham Island. This data, compiled from aerial photographs and field exams, captures the original road network including State Highway No 58 before modern rerouting.