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1972 Map of Cookson

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Cookson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Illinois River valley underwent a profound transformation with the creation of Tenkiller Ferry Lake, an expansive reservoir that dominates this Cherokee County landscape. By the early 1970s, the shoreline had become a complex network of recreational access points, including the Burnt Cabin Ridge State Park and numerous public use areas such as Sisemore Landing and Cookson Bend. The topography is characterized by steep, family-named heights like Wildhorse Mountain and Gordon Mountain that rise abruptly from the water's edge.

Near the settlement of Cookson, researchers will find the Cookson Cem and the Tenkiller Lake Landing Strip, marking the community's transition into a regional hub for lake-based activity. To the south, the county line between Cherokee and SequoyAH counties crosses the lake near Snake Creek Cove, where the terrain begins to flatten toward the Snake Creek drainage. The map preserves the original 1940 underwater contours of the valley before inundation, providing a rare look at the former river channel.