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1953 Map of East Fork

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of East Fork
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The East Fork Little Barren River carves a winding path through this central Kentucky landscape, defining the rural character of Metcalfe, Green, and Adair counties in the early 1950s. The map reveals a highly decentralized network of small family-centered communities, where life revolved around local landmarks like Union Chapel and Foundation Ch. The distribution of numerous one-room schools, such as Mud Slash Sch and White Oak Sch, suggests a population density that still relied on walking distance for education and communal gathering before the full consolidation of rural districts.

Industrial activity is sparse but present, noted by a Gas Well near the western border. Topography is marked by features like Pink Ridge and numerous creek drainages including Adams Creek and Sulphur Creek. For those researching local families, the map is a dense record of namesake cemeteries, including Hamilton Cem, Penick Cem, and Jeffries Cem, many of which remain the primary physical markers of these mid-century settlements.