Loading map...

1961 Map of Fontana Dam

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Fontana Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Tennessee Valley Authority and Geological Survey map the complex landscape of the Little Tennessee River corridor following the mid-century industrialization of the region. Fontana Lake dominates the center of the sheet, held back by the massive Fontana Dam, which reshaped the geography of Graham and Swain counties. Near the dam, Fontana Village serves as a primary settlement hub, accompanied by the Lady Of The Lake Chapel.

High above the water, the Appalachian Trail traverses the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Nantahala National Forest, passing through significant gaps like Turkey Cove Gap and Sassafras Gap. Evidence of the area's older extractive economy remains visible at the Fontana Copper Mine, while remote settlements and landmarks like Proctor and Payne Cem offer vital clues for genealogists and local historians tracing the families of the Smokies before and after the reservoir's creation.