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1968 Map of John H Kerr Dam

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of John H Kerr Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The John H Kerr Dam stands as the central engineering feat of this landscape, impounding the Roanoke River to create the expansive John H Kerr Reservoir and the adjacent Lake Gaston. This 1960s-era topography reveals a transition from traditional agrarian settlements to a recreation-oriented waterfront, evidenced by the numerous public facilities like the Kimball Point Public Use Area and Hibernia Public Use Area.

Away from the water's edge, the map preserves the older social geography of Mecklenburg County, Virginia, and Vance and Warren Counties in North Carolina. Local community life is anchored by country churches including Jerusalem Ch, Bethesda Ch, and Shiloh Ch. The intricate shoreline, shaped by flooded valleys such as Nutbush Creek and Keats Branch, surrounds historic landmarks like Buggs Island and small crossroads including Castle Heights and Eppes Fork.