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1959 Map of Johnson City

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Johnson City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1991
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1991

About this map

Johnson City serves as the focal point of this late 1950s survey, illustrating a period of mid-century expansion across the ridge-and-valley landscape of East Tennessee. The city's industrial and logistical importance is underscored by a convergence of rail lines, including the Southern RR, the Clinchfield RR, and the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina RR. Notable institutions like the Veterans Administration Center and Milligan College anchor the social landscape, while the Watauga Steam Plant near the Watauga River highlights the region's energy infrastructure during this era.

To the south, the terrain rises into the Cherokee National Forest, dominated by the prominent peaks of Buffalo Mountain. This area is dotted with numerous family cemeteries such as Saylor Cem and Smathers Cem, offering significant data for genealogical research. The map also records early aviation history with the Johnson City Airfield and captures the suburban emergence of neighborhoods like Pine Crest and College Park as they began to fill the gaps between the urban center and the surrounding mountains.