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1953 Map of Huntsville

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Huntsville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The New River carves a deep path through the plateau south of Huntsville, anchoring a landscape where small valley communities like Newtown and Winona are defined by the steep rises of Shug Mountain and Ditney Mtn. This mid-century survey reveals a society deeply integrated with its geography, where narrow hollows and ridge flats like John Hall Flats provided space for a network of rural institutions, including the Capitol Hill Sch and the County Home.

Industrial activity is a prominent feature, with numerous Strip Mines and active workings scattered across the high ground, particularly north of Stanley Junction. These extractive sites exist alongside traditional landmarks of local life, from the Huntsville High Sch to isolated meeting places like Five Black Gum Ch. The map provides a detailed view of the infrastructure of the era, recording the exact placement of dozens of family-named burial grounds like Griffin Cem and Byrd Cem that remain vital for genealogical research.