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1940 Map of Bulls Gap

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Bulls Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Grassy Valley and the winding course of the Holston River define this rural landscape as it appeared just before the mid-century. The Southern railroad provides a primary transportation corridor, linking the settlements of Bulls Gap and Persia with the river's agricultural trade. Along the water, traditional river crossings like Price Ferry remain prominent alongside industrial landmarks such as Austins Mill and the treacherous Drumhole Shoals.

The map reveals a dense network of family-named landmarks and community hubs that speak to the region's deep-rooted social fabric. Dozens of small burial grounds, including the Kirkpatrick Cem and Reynolds Cem, are scattered across the hills near country schools like Liberty Sch and Pleasant Hill Sch. This detailed topography, spanning the Hawkins and Greene County line, documents a landscape of ridge-and-valley farming where White Horn Ch and Morrisett Chapel served as local anchors.