1946 Map of Lake Toxaway

About this map

The French Broad River headwaters emerge from a landscape defined by high ridges and steep valleys at the boundary of Jackson and Transylvania counties. This 1946 field examination by the Tennessee Valley Authority highlights a network of mountain schools and country churches serving remote settlements like Quebec and Rock Bridge. The presence of the Toxaway School, Toxaway Mountain, and the reconstructed Lake Toxaway suggests the area's transition into a destination for summer recreation, further marked by Camp Toxaway and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Heavy timber and difficult terrain are evident across the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest, where landmarks like Dismal Falls and The Pinnacle stand above the forks of the river. The map also traces the Tenn Valley Divide, a critical geographic feature separating the drainage of the Atlantic from the Gulf of Mexico.