1959 Map of Fork

About this map

Buck Swamp and the meandering Little Pee Dee River dominate the landscape of eastern South Carolina in this late 1950s survey. The map records a rural economy defined by small communities such as Fork and Smithboro and a dense network of family-named landmarks. Numerous elliptical depressions, labeled as bays like Kelly Bay and Tenmile Bay, characterize the local topography, while the Seaboard Air Line railroad provides a clear industrial corridor through the swamps and timberlands. Genealogists will find a high density of small cemeteries and rural houses of worship, including Bermuda Ch, Spring Hill Ch, and the Hopewell Cem. The transition from agrarian land to protected wilderness is evident at Little Pee Dee State Park, located along the river's winding course north of Carmichael Crossroads.