1988 Map of Knoxville

About this map

The Homochitto National Forest encompasses much of this southwestern Mississippi landscape, where the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad cuts a path through a terrain defined by complex drainages like Wells Creek and Tony Creek. This 1988 map documents the region's mid-century economic shift, showing a proliferation of energy infrastructure including the Dry Creek Oil Field, Knoxville Tower Oil Field, and Wesley Chapel Oil Field scattered among the timberlands. Small, rural settlements such as White Apple and Knoxville remain as local anchors, while dozens of family-named landmarks like McMillan Cem, Dorsey Cem, and Aldridge Cem provide critical data for genealogists tracing local lineage. The presence of established churches like Union Ch and Springhill Ch suggests a persistent community structure despite the encroachment of industrial oil exploration and the expansion of federal forest lands.