1959 Map of Konnarock

About this map

Iron Mountain and Straight Mountain dominate this corner of the Jefferson National Forest at the close of the 1950s. The settlement at Konnarock sits along the Whitetop Laurel Creek, while the Norfolk and Western railway snakes through the narrow valleys of Taylors Valley to the south. This era shows the landscape transitioning from industrial utility to recreational use, evidenced by the presence of a strip mine on the western slopes and the path of the Appalachian Trail crossing the ridges. The map is a vital resource for tracing mountain communities and religious centers, including Masada Church, Macedonia Ch, and the Azen Ch Cem. Along the north, the South Fork Holston River passes Loves Mill, an area defined by family-named landmarks like Byars Cem and Hawthorne Knob. High points like Feathercamp Ridge are marked by the Feathercamp Lookout Tower, a testament to the period's active forest management.