1972 Map of Brayton

About this map

Walden Ridge dominates this 1972 survey, where the Cumberland Escarpment drops away into the complex drainages of Bledsoe, Rhea, and Hamilton counties. The landscape is defined by its industrial history and scattered mountain settlements, notably Brayton, Smithtown, and Hickory Grove. Numerous strip mines and a quarry are visible across the high ground, particularly near The Backbone and Pitts Gap. This era reveals a community closely tied to its geography, with local life centered around the Brayton-Hendon Community Center and Brayton Ch. For genealogists, the map preserves the locations of family burial grounds like Metz Cem, Hendon Cem, and Standifer Cem. The topography is particularly intricate through McGill Gulf and along the winding course of Rock Creek, which carves through the sandstone before reaching Clifton Bend.