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1953 Map of Canton

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Canton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The Cumberland River and Little River converge in this mid-century survey of Trigg County, documenting the landscape shortly before the creation of Lake Barkley. The settlement of Canton serves as a focal point along the Jeff Davis Highway, surrounded by a dense network of family-named cemeteries and rural institutions. The topography is defined by prominent features such as Hillman Bluff and the sharp bend at Devils Elbow, illustrating the winding river system that historically dictated travel and settlement patterns in the region.

Genealogists will find substantial value in the numerous recorded burial sites, including Heindrick Cem, Bridges Cem, and Donaldson Creek Cem. The map also captures several small communities and country churches like Peals Chapel and Dryers Chapel that anchored these farming districts. A notable U S Reservation sits along the western bank of the Cumberland, while schools like Paint Pleasant Sch and Lower Donaldson Sch reflect the organized rural life of the early 1950s.