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1946 Map of Durham

Name: 1946 Topographic Map of Durham
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Lookout Mountain dominates this mid-century survey of Northwest Georgia, defined by the sharp transition from the elevated plateau down into the Chattanooga Valley. The rugged topography is etched by deep drainages like Sitton Gulch Creek and Little Mama Gulch, much of which is protected within Cloudland Canyon State Park. Settlement patterns follow the geology, with the community of Durham (also known as Pittsburg) positioned near the plateau's heights, while Cassandra and Cooper Heights occupy the lower valley floors near the Georgia and Alabama Scenic Highway.

Genealogists and local historians can find a wealth of specific rural landmarks, including numerous family-named burial sites such as Mc Kaig Cem and Hawkins Cem. The map also documents the essential social infrastructure of the time, from the Lookout Mtn Rural Sch and Marble Top Sch to several country churches like New Salem Ch and Prospect Ch. The presence of the Lookout Tower near Newsom Gap underscores the importance of fire observation over these timbered ridges in the post-war era.