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1961 Map of Buckhorn

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Buckhorn
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Buckhorn Lake dominates the center of this 1961 revision, reflecting a landscape transformed by the construction of the Buckhorn Dam. The reservoir winds through the deep valleys of the Cumberland Plateau, submerging portions of the river's original path while leaving communities like Buckhorn and Gays Creek along its elevated margins. This era represents a significant shift for the region, where older patterns of valley settlement and small-scale mountain farming began to give way to large-scale water management and recreation.

Away from the water, the map reveals a network of hollows and ridges dotted with the infrastructure of mid-century Appalachian life. One can trace numerous educational and spiritual centers, such as Johnson Ch and Otter Creek Sch, alongside the industrial presence of scattered Mines and a Strip Mine. The convergence of Leslie, Perry, and Breathitt counties highlights the intricate boundary lines that follow the high ridgelines of Langdon Knob and Buzzard Roost.