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1940 Map of Bluff City

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Bluff City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Bluff City sits at the northern end of this 1940 survey, where the Southern railroad crosses the South Fork Holston River. This period in northeast Tennessee is characterized by a landscape of small agricultural hubs and river-driven commerce. Family-operated industry is evident at Shaver Mill, Galloway Mill, and Hyder Mill, while the social fabric of the community is anchored by local institutions like Hulls Chapel, Holston Grove Ch, and Watauga Flats Sch.

Southward, the terrain shifts towards the river bends of the Watauga, passing through the settlement of Piney Flats and the landmark at Rocky Mount. The map documents a dense network of hollows, such as Massengill Hollow and Sawmill Hollow, which provided timber and shelter for generations of residents. The presence of the Airway Radio Beacon near the northern boundary highlights the early 20th-century modernization of aviation infrastructure alongside traditional river-valley life.