1951 Map of Graves Spring

About this map

Graves Spring sits at the intersection of several Tennessee counties, where the ridges of Perry, Lewis, and Hickman meet. This mid-century landscape is defined by its drainage patterns, with life organized around the deep hollows and creek beds. The Tennessee Valley Authority's work here captures a rural network of family-named landmarks and essential community institutions. To the north, Coon Creek Ch and Barber Cem anchor a small valley community, while further south, Sinking Creek Church serves as a key landmark. The importance of local education in this remote terrain is evident through the presence of both the Upper Brush Creek School and the Upper Coon Creek School. Many residents of this era relied on these narrow valleys, or hollows, such as Poplin Hollow and Mulberry Hollow, for both shelter and transport between the higher ridges like Sassafras Stand Ridge.