1939 Map of Lee Valley

About this map

Clinch Mountain and Copper Ridge define the parallel topography of this Northeast Tennessee landscape, where small rural communities are tucked into the valleys between long, limestone-based ridges. The 1939 survey, updated with 1971 aerial data, reveals a pattern of ridge-and-valley settlement where life centered on family farms and country churches such as War Creek Ch and Spruce Pine Ch. Several small clusters like Lee Valley and Treadway anchor the map, while named gaps such as Chestnut Flats Gap and Big War Gap indicate the historical importance of mountain crossings for local travel.