1941 Map of Bryson

About this map

Bryson City serves as the focal point for this 1941 Tennessee Valley Authority and USGS survey, situated at the confluence of the Tuckasegee River and Deep Creek. The landscape is a complex intersection of federal and tribal lands, bordered by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the north and the Nantahala National Forest to the south. Notable for local historians is the Cherokee Indian Reservation Tract Qualla in the east, which contains the settlement of Ela and the Southern railroad line. The map provides significant genealogical value, documenting numerous small family cemeteries such as Randall Cem, Sherrill Cem, and Watkins Cem. The rugged geography is marked by landmarks like Rocky Face Mountain and Sharptop, while the valley floor shows the transition from rural dwellings at Jenkins Place and Alarka to the growing town center, featuring the Gaging Station and the Bryson City Reservoir.