Loading map...

1958 Map of Little Cypress

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Little Cypress
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The confluence of the Ohio River and the Tennessee River dominates this landscape, where the shifting waters once defined the complex boundaries between Kentucky and Illinois. The lowland geography of Black Bottom and numerous sloughs like Beaverdam Slough highlight a river-dependent economy in transition during the mid-1950s. Settlement patterns are concentrated near the riverbanks and along the Illinois Central railroad, with established communities like Ledbetter and the uniquely named Possum Trot serving as local hubs.

Genealogists will find a wealth of local landmarks, including several country churches such as Vaughn Chapel and Thompson Chapel, alongside family-named burial sites like Robertson Cem and Hurley Cem. The map also preserves the location of the Kincaid Mounds, indicating a deep historical layer to this river valley. The infrastructure of the era is represented by river features like Cumberland Island and the Illinois Kentucky state line, which follows the low waterline of the 1912 river survey.