1953 Map of Chattanooga

About this map

The Chattanooga riverfront and the surrounding Tennessee Valley are documented here in the early 1950s, a period when the regional landscape was defined by the massive hydroelectric projects of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Broad water bodies like Watts Bar Reservoir and Chickamauga Reservoir dominate the lowlands, contrasting with the dramatic rise of the Cumberland Plateau and Walden Ridge to the west. This survey illustrates the mid-century industrial and transport hub of the region, showing the convergence of the Southern Ry and the Louisville & Nashville Rr at several junctions. To the east, the map transitions from valley floor settlements like Cleveland and Athens into the high elevations of the Cherokee National Forest and the Unicoi Mountains, providing a detailed look at the interface between the controlled river system and the wilderness of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.