1956 Map of Burgess Falls

About this map

The Falling Water River carves a winding path through the borderlands of Putnam Co and White Co, defining the local landscape in the mid-1950s. This era shows the early influence of the Center Hill Reservoir and the containment of Burgess Falls Lake along the river's descent. The map captures a high density of rural institutions, particularly schools and churches that served as community anchors for outlying families. Notable landmarks such as Taylors Seminary, Elder Ridge Sch, and Bussell Sch suggest a dispersed but structured rural education network, while crossroads like Bakers Crossroads and Hamptons Crossroads served as primary nodes for commerce and travel. Genealogists will find significant value in the numerous family-named burial grounds, including the Hitchcock Cem, Howell Cem, and Harris Cem, which anchor the history of long-standing residents to specific acreage across Tidwell Hollow and the surrounding plateaus.