1947 Map of Black Brothers

About this map

Cane River winds through this high-elevation terrain of Yancey County, where isolated mountain communities like Pensacola and Murchison sit tucked into the narrow valleys. The landscape is defined by its extreme relief, climbing from the riverbanks up to the heights of Mt Mitchell State Park, where a lookout tower and Camp Alice overlook the Black Mountains. This 1946 field examination captures the area as a mix of protected wilderness and small-scale mountain habitation, evidenced by a series of family burial grounds including Burleson Cem, Penland Cem, and Wheeler Cem. The presence of a toll gate along the river road near Eakota highlights the historic difficulty of travel through this part of the Pisgah National Forest. Waterfalls such as Mitchell Falls and Walker Falls dot the numerous branches and forks that drain the ridges, including the appropriately named Point Misery and Bearwallow Stand Ridge.