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1949 Map of Cardiff

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Cardiff
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Rockwood and the industrial-era town of Cardiff anchor the southeastern corner of this study, positioned where the industrial corridor of the Tennessee Central and Southern railroads meet the sharp ascent of Walden Ridge. The landscape transitions from these rail-served valley settlements into the uplifted Cumberland Plateau and the Crab Orchard Mountains to the northwest. This rugged topography dictated a dispersed settlement pattern, visible in the string of rural community centers like Mt Pisgah Ch and Hatley Sch located along the winding branches of Crab Orchard Creek.

Genealogists can find numerous family burial grounds and small institutions tucked into the hollows, including the Skidmore Cem near Flat Rock Ford and the Mt Vernon Sch in the shadow of Smith Mtn. The presence of the Broadway of America highway highlights the importance of this gap in the ridge for interstate travel during the mid-century, even as traditional landmarks like Dry Hill Sch continued to serve local families.