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1957 Map of Isabella

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Isabella
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The copper mining industry dominates the southwestern landscape of this 1957 survey, centered on the settlement of Isabella. Substantial extraction sites like the Burra-Burra Mine, Isabella Mine, and Eureka Mine appear alongside specialized infrastructure, including the London Flotation Plant and a dedicated tailings pond. This industrial hub is connected to broader markets via the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which snakes through the terrain near Harbuck. To the east, the character of the land shifts toward the protected slopes of the Cherokee National Forest and Nantahala National Forest, straddling the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

Religious and community landmarks are scattered throughout the valleys, with family names marking the topography at Reese Mountain and McAllister Hill. Of particular note in the northeast corner is the Fields of the Wood site, featuring a large-scale representation of the Ten Commandments. Small rural enclaves such as Burger Town, Belltown, and Johnsonville provide a glimpse into the localized settlement patterns of the mid-century Ducktown Basin region.