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1986 Map of Gastonia

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Gastonia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

Kings Mountain National Military Park and Cowpens National Battlefield anchor this mid-1980s landscape, marking pivotal Revolutionary War sites along the border of the Carolinas. The map illustrates a region defined by its manufacturing hubs and textile heritage, including Gastonia, Shelby, and Gaffney. Industrial transport routes are well-established, with the Seaboard System Railroad and Southern Railway crisscrossing the terrain to serve settlements like Cherryville, Lincolnton, and Kings Mountain.

Hydrological patterns are dominated by the Broad River and the Catawba River, which define the eastern and western reaches of the survey. The topography rises sharply at The Pinnacle and Crowders Mountain, providing a stark contrast to the developed corridors along Interstate 85. Smaller communities such as Lawndale, Boiling Springs, and Cliffside appear amid a network of state highways, reflecting the dense rural-to-urban transition of the Piedmont during this era.