1962 Map of Center Hill Dam

About this map

Center Hill Lake dominates this landscape, created by the massive Center Hill Dam along the Caney Fork. The map documents a transition from traditional rural upland settlements to a recreational economy, evidenced by the establishment of Edgar Evans State Rustic Park and the Atnip Bluff Cabin Colony. Genealogists will find numerous family burial grounds preserved among the hollows, including the Braswell Cem, Taylor Cem, and Lafever Cem. Transportation and community life are marked by the Louisville and Nashville RR cutting through the northeast corner and local landmarks like the Laurel Hill Sch and Tucker Ridge Ch. The irregular shoreline created by the reservoir's inundation of drainages like Wolf Creek and Holmes Creek illustrates the significant topographic change that redefined this portion of DeKalb County during the mid-20th century.