1954 Map of Bledsoe

About this map

Pine Mountain dominates the landscape of this mid-century survey, dividing the drainage of Greasy Creek to the north from the valley of the Poor Fork Cumberland River to the south. The settlement pattern reveals the classic Appalachian hollow community, with small family and coal-related landmarks such as Middleton and Bledsoe clustered along the limited flatland near the water. For genealogists, the map is a dense record of family-named landmarks including Napier Cem, Sargent Cem, and Wilder Cem, alongside the local centers of life at Green Hill Sch and Cedar Chapel. Industrial activity is evident in the presence of an Oil Well and a Strip Mine, while the southern corridor is defined by the Louisville and Nashville rail line. Vast reaches of the Kentenia State Forest encompass the high ridges, preserving the steep, timbered character of Harlan and Leslie counties.