Loading map...

1952 Map of Block

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Block
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

The New River and Smoky Creek carve through the high ridges of the Cumberland Plateau along the border of Campbell and Scott Counties. This 1952 field revision reveals a landscape defined by narrow hollows and steep elevations like Turley Mountain and Brushy Mountain. The settlement pattern follows the drainage and rail lines, with small communities such as Smoky Junction, Turley, and Block serving as focal points for the region's coal and timber economies. Numerous mines are noted across the slopes, connected by an intricate system of inclines and mountain roads.

Genealogists will find significant local landmarks preserved here, including the Upper Round Rock School and the Round Rock School near the Round Rock Cemetery. Isolated mountain gaps like Horse Gap, Wolf Gap, and Grave Gap provide historical context for travel through these ridges. The presence of Antioch Church and smaller named settlements like Montgomery and Hickey helps map the social fabric of these remote Tennessee hollows during the mid-twentieth century.