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1959 Map of Cahaba Heights

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Cahaba Heights
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Cahaba River and its tributary, the Little Cahaba River, anchor this landscape as it transitions from the industrial mining outskirts of Birmingham into the ridge-and-valley terrain of Shelby County. While Cahaba Heights and Overton show early suburban growth, the surrounding ridges remain defined by heavy resource extraction, evidenced by several unnamed Strip Mine operations scattered between Shades Ridge and Pine Ridge. The impoundment of Lake Purdy dominates the eastern quadrant, creating a complex shoreline that surrounds Goat Island and Little Island.

Local history is well-preserved through numerous community landmarks, including Bold Spring Church and the Oak Grove Church and Cemetery. The southern reaches of the map highlight the protected woodland of Oak Mountain State Park, while family-named features like McDavid Lake and McDaniel Lake suggest the long-standing agricultural and residential patterns of the Little Cahaba Valley during the late 1950s.