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1947 Map of Looneys Gap

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Looneys Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Clinch Mountain and Copper Ridge dominate this corner of the Appalachian Valley, creating a landscape of alternating high ridges and narrow agricultural bottoms along the Clinch River. The map highlights the traditional river-and-ridge lifestyle of the mid-20th century, where travel was dictated by breaks in the terrain like Looneys Gap and river crossings such as Horton Ford. Small, localized communities are centered around institutions like the Wake Forest School, Daugherty Chapel, and the County Farm near Gravelly Valley.

Genealogists will find a high density of family-named landmarks and cemeteries, including the Sizemore Cem, Moore Cem, and Horn Cem. The map's layout reflects the complex administrative geography of the era, as the Virginia-Tennessee state line and various county boundaries for Hancock, Hawkins, and Scott counties weave through the ridges. Notable bends in the river like The Rounds illustrate the waterway's winding path through this deeply folded terrain.