1987 Map of Jerome

About this map

The low-lying wetlands of Bladen and Cumberland counties define this landscape, dominated by the elliptical formations of the Carolina Bays. The Bushy Lake State Natural Area sits at the northern edge, part of a complex hydrological network that includes Little Singletary Lake, Suggs Mill Pond, and dozens of named bays like Big Gallberry Bay and Gum Swamp Bay. These shallow, peat-filled depressions dictate the area's geography, with human settlement relegated to the higher ground between them. Small rural communities like Jerome and White Oak serve as focal points for local life, connected by a series of roads and 4WD tracks. The map is particularly useful for genealogists, as it identifies numerous country churches and cemeteries, including Sharon Ch, China Grove Ch, and Live Oak Ch, which often served as the social heart of these dispersed farming and timbering communities.