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1888 Map of Chattanooga

Name: 1888 Topographic Map of Chattanooga
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1888
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1888

About this map

Chattanooga serves as the industrial and transportation anchor for this 1888 survey, which captures the complex geography of the Tennessee River valley before modern dam projects altered the shoreline. The map reveals a river-dependent economy where crossings like Blythe's Ferry, Harrison Ferry, and Kelly's Ferry provided essential links between upland settlements and the emerging rail hubs. Heavy industry is represented in the southwest by the Aetna Mines and Mt. Nab Mines, which tapped the resources of the surrounding ridges.

Transportation patterns are dominated by the Southern Railroad and the Western and Atlantic R. R., converging on the city near Lookout Point. Beyond the urban core, the landscape is dotted with smaller locales such as Norman's Store, Daisy, and Harrison, the former county seat. The topography is defined by sharp gaps, including Killian's Gap and Anderson's Gap, which channeled travel through the high ridges flanking the Sequatchie River.