1948 Map of Harlem

About this map

The Georgia Railroad serves as the central spine of this 1948 survey, connecting the rural communities of Thomson, Dearing, and Harlem. This landscape is defined by its transition from small-scale agricultural holdings to large-scale military installation, with the eastern portion dominated by the Camp Gordon Military Reservation. The map provides a detailed record of the region’s social infrastructure just after World War II, showing numerous combined institutions like the St Luke Church and School and Foster Head Church and School. Water-powered industry and local hydrology are evident along Brier Creek and Reedy Creek, including the Nortons Mill Race and Norton Mill Pond. Scattered family names are preserved through landmarks such as Walker Cemetery, Bynum Cemetery, and Shields Pond, documenting a settled rural landscape before modern development and expansion altered the character of Columbia and McDuffie counties.