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1940 Map of Lemon Gap

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Lemon Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The Appalachian Trail winds along the high ridges of the Bald Mountains and Brushy Mountains in this 1940 survey of the North Carolina and Tennessee borderlands. This high-country landscape is defined by the convergence of several major national forests, including the Hot Springs National Forest, Cherokee National Forest, and Pisgah National Forest. The map reveals a dispersed settlement pattern centered on mountain gaps and creek bottoms, with small community hubs like the Joe Post Office and the settlement of Charlotte.

Local life is recorded through a network of small churches and schools such as Balding Chapel, Bonnie Hill Church, and the Meadow Fork School. The economy of the era is evidenced by Blue Mill and Eubbs Mill positioned along mountain streams. Family history is anchored to numerous small burial grounds, including the Crowder Cemetery and Waddell Cemetery, while the presence of a Lookout Tower near Marrow Gap highlights the region's early fire monitoring infrastructure.