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1972 Map of Brayton

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Brayton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

McGill Ridge and the Walden Ridge plateau dominate this landscape in the early 1970s, where the dramatic descent of the Cumberland Escarpment meets the rural communities of Bledsoe County. Small settlements like Brayton and Smithtown are central to the upland life, connected by the Brayton-Hendon Community Center and local landmarks like Brayton Ch. The era is defined by extractive industry, evidenced by numerous strip mines dotting the ridges above Pitts Gap.

Deep ravines and hollows carve into the plateau, including the notable McGill Gulf and Rattlesnake Hollow Branch. The map preserves family history through several burial grounds, such as Metz Cem and Standifer Cem, and marks the intricate hydrology of the region with features like Big Possum Creek and Shingle Mill Hollow Creek. This Tennessee Valley Authority revision captures a moment of transition where traditional mountain settlements exist alongside expanding mining operations.