1931 Map of Lafayette

About this map

The Barren River and its intricate drainage network define this 1928 survey of the borderlands between Allen County, Kentucky, and Macon County, Tennessee. The landscape is characterized by a high density of rural social institutions, with dozens of one-room schoolhouses like Hickory Hill Sch and White Plains Sch serving dispersed farming families. The Louisville and Nashville RR cuts through the western section, supporting small settlements such as Petroleum. Unique geological features are also noted, including the Natural Bridge and a prominent depression known as The Sink, located near Dewsharp Bend. The concentration of community centers, from Union Chapel to Mt Pleasant Ch, reflects a period before the consolidation of rural districts, providing a precise look at the early 20th-century social geography of this upland region.