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1959 Map of Bluff City

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Bluff City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

South Fork Holston River and Watauga River converge within this landscape, where the rising waters of Boone Lake have reshaped the local geography. The town of Bluff City sits along the riverbanks, anchored by the Southern railroad line and the riverside Island Park. This 1959 revision illustrates a transitional period for Sullivan County, where traditional agricultural life and early industrial sites like Galloway Mill exist alongside new recreational developments like Rainbow Dock and Sportsman Dock.

The map is particularly detailed regarding community infrastructure, showing the Mary Hughes High School at Piney Flats and numerous rural houses of worship such as Holston Grove Church and Poplar Ridge Ch. Genealogists will find a high density of family burial grounds, including the Droke Cem, Malone Cem, and Devault Cem, often located on ridges like Strawberry Ridge or tucked into terrain features like Feathers Hollow.