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1952 Map of Cobhill

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Cobhill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The Kentucky River winds sharply through the southern reaches of this Kentucky landscape, defining the industrial and social patterns of the early 1950s. Near the river, the Louisville and Nashville railroad tracks follow the northern bank, connecting river settlements like Old Landing and Shade to the wider region. The terrain is characterized by intricate drainages like Big Sinking Creek and Furnace Fork, where numerous oil wells dot the ridges, signaling the persistent energy extraction that defined the local economy during this era.

Within the Cumberland National Forest, small rural communities such as Fitchburg and Cobhill remain centered around a network of family-named landmarks and local institutions. Genealogists can trace a dense distribution of country schools and churches, from Pryse Sch and Sandfield Sch to Mt Sinai Ch and Mountain Chapel. These sites, along with cemeteries like Furnace Cem and Dickerson Cem, provide a clear view of the dispersed upland settlement pattern before mid-century modernization shifted the population toward larger hubs.