1941 Map of Fontana

About this map

Little Tennessee River flows through this 1941 landscape, a critical moment of transition before the hydroelectric development of the Tennessee Valley Authority fully reshaped the valley. The map documents the industrial and social infrastructure of Graham County just prior to the area's massive change, including the Fontana Copper Mine and the Santeetlah Power House along the banks of Cheoah Lake. Settlement patterns are visible through small mountain hamlets like Fairfax and Ritter, alongside a network of rural education sites such as New Fairfax Sch and Upper Yellow Creek Sch.