1951 Map of Graves Spring

About this map

The rugged hollows and creek valleys of the Tennessee Highland Rim meet at a three-county junction between Perry, Lewis, and Hickman. In the mid-twentieth century, this landscape was defined by small rural hubs centered around Sinking Creek Church and Coon Creek Ch, with community life anchored by the Upper Brush Creek School and Upper Coon Creek School. The topography is an intricate network of named drainage basins, such as Boneyard Hollow Branch, Rockhouse Creek, and Hurricane Creek, where local families established homesteads and small burial grounds. Genealogists can find numerous family-named landmarks, including Graves Cem, Poplin Hollow Cem, and Qualls Cem, situated along the winding valley floors. The presence of Horse Pond and the extensive system of wooded ridges, like Sassasfras Stand Ridge, illustrate a landscape largely dictated by its natural contours and the seasonal flow of its many branches.