1947 Map of Ft Payne

About this map

Fort Payne sits at the heart of this post-war landscape, situated in the valley between the prominent elevations of Lookout Mountain and Shinbone Ridge. The 1946 field examination by the Tennessee Valley Authority reveals a town defined by its proximity to the Southern Railroad and its connection to the surrounding rural crossroads. To the northeast, De Soto State Park marks the edge of the plateau, while the town itself serves as a gateway to local landmarks like Manitou Cave. The map detail allows for a look at the scattered mountain communities of the era, such as Pumpkin Center and Adamsburg, where life centered around institutions like Log Cabin Chapel and numerous country burying grounds including Glenwood Cem and Sulphur Springs Cem. This survey preserves the exact settlement patterns and family-named landmarks of De Kalb County before mid-century expansion.