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1954 Map of Greensboro

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Greensboro
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The Dan River and Roanoke River systems anchor this mid-century portrait of the North Carolina and Virginia borderlands. Massive infrastructure projects characterize the era, most notably the expansion of Buggs Island Lake and the John H Kerr Reservoir along the state line. These waters represent a significant transformation of the local topography, reshaping the landscape between Clarksville and Boydton.

Rail transport remains a dominant feature of the regional economy, with the Southern Ry and Seaboard Air Line RR connecting industrial hubs like Greensboro, Danville, and Durham. From the textile centers of Spray, Draper, and Leaksville to the tobacco markets of Henderson and Oxford, the map details a network of towns and villages tied to the land and the tracks. Further east, the Tar River and Neuse River headwaters flow through a terrain dotted with educational landmarks like Elon College and state-managed lands such as Fairstone State Park.