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1942 Map of Charleston

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of Charleston
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Chickamauga Lake and the Hiwassee River define this 1942 landscape as the region adapted to the newly created reservoirs of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The twin settlements of Charleston and Calhoun sit at a critical crossing point where the Southern railroad and Lee Highway bridge the river, marking a hub of transport and commerce. The surrounding terrain is characterized by a series of parallel ridges, including Mc Minn Ridge and Mouse Creek Ridge, which dictate the placement of small communities and family landmarks.

Local history is preserved in the numerous country churches and cemeteries scattered through the valleys, such as Henegar Ch and Godsey Cem. The presence of the Chickamauga Reservation near Ledford Island reflects federal land management in the mid-century era. Genealogists will find interest in the specific springs and branches, like Bradford Spring and Beaverdam Branch, which provided water for established homesteads before modern utility expansion.