1935 Map of Fontana

About this map

The Little Tennessee River flows through the center of this 1935 advance sheet, marking the boundary between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Nantahala National Forest. Industry and infrastructure are evident in the northern mountains at the Fontana Copper Mine and the Santeetlah Power House, situated before the massive dam projects of the following decade would alter this river valley forever. Local life is documented through scattered mountain schools like Upper Yellow Creek Sch and Rock Spring Sch, while the Southern Railway tracks and State Highway No 288 parallel the riverbanks. Early recreation and regional connectivity are represented by the Appalachian Trail, which winds across the Cheoah Mountains through Wauchecha Bald and Yellow Creek Gap.