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1901 Map of Knoxville

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Knoxville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1915
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1915

About this map

Knoxville sits at the junction of the Tennessee River and the French Broad River, serving as a rail hub for the Southern RR Bristol and Chattanooga Div and lines reaching south toward Maryville. This early survey captures a landscape of transition, where established river crossings like Boyd Ferry and Ramsey Ferry remained critical infrastructure. To the south and east, the terrain climbs toward the Great Smoky Mountains, punctuated by isolated settlements and early tourism sites like Montvale Springs and Henderson Springs.

The map reveals the intricate valley-and-ridge settlement patterns of the late 19th century, featuring Porter Academy and crossroads like Cates X Roads. Family-named landmarks such as Trundle X Roads and Shooks Gap anchor the rural landscape. In the high country, peaks like Thunder Head and Silers Bald define the State Line between Tennessee and North Carolina, overlooking secluded areas like Cades Cove and the nascent community of Gatlinburg.