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1935 Map of Hemp Top

Name: 1935 Topographic Map of Hemp Top
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1935
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1935

About this map

Blue Ridge heights define the boundary between Polk and Fannin counties in this mid-1930s topographical study conducted by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The map details a landscape transition where narrow mountain gaps and ridges dictate the flow of movement and settlement. A Fire Tower sits atop Hemp Top, overlooking the vast National Forest and providing a strategic vantage point for fire lookout efforts during the era.

Industry and local transportation are anchored by landmarks like Ashe Mill along Postelle Creek and the winding path of Watson Gap Road. The terrain is marked by numerous named mountain passes, including Tumbling Gap, Patterson Gap, and Dally Gap, which served as critical transit points for local residents and logging interests. This advance sheet captures the region's high-altitude geography just as federal land management was becoming firmly established.