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1936 Map of Cairo

Name: 1936 Topographic Map of Cairo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1936
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1936

About this map

The Wheeler Reservoir dominates this 1936 landscape, a massive water feature created by the Tennessee Valley Authority that redefined the border between Lauderdale and Limestone counties. The map captures the region during a period of transition, marking the Former Tennessee River channel beneath the rising pool. This survey was conducted just as the reservoir reached its full elevation of 556 feet, forever altering the valley's drainage system and submerged lowlands.

Local life at the time is meticulously documented through an array of rural social centers. Scattered throughout the townships are essential community landmarks like the Temperance Oak Sch, Clement Sch, and Confluence Ch. Small rural hubs such as Cairo, Coxey, and Legg are shown with their proximity to the water, while family-named burial grounds like Hagan Cem and Sandlin Cem provide valuable data for genealogists tracing the residents of these north Alabama communities before the mid-century.