1950 Map of Cairo

About this map

Wheeler Reservoir dominates this landscape where the Elk River and Tennessee River converge at the borders of Lauderdale, Limestone, and Lawrence Counties. The map reveals a post-impoundment geography, showing the Wheeler Reservation Boundary following the shoreline. Communities like Cairo and Lentzville appear alongside numerous rural landmarks that suggest a deeply rooted social fabric. A high density of family-named cemeteries, including Barker Cem, Higgens Cem, and Bedingfield Cem, provides invaluable data for genealogists tracing early North Alabama families. Education and faith are central to the settlement pattern, anchored by institutions such as Pleasant Valley School, Confluence School, and Temperance Oak Church. The inclusion of the Stewart Ferry Cabin Site Area and Poplar Springs Branch Cabin Site Area points to the evolving recreational use of the riverbanks following the creation of the reservoir.