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1955 Map of Monterey

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Monterey
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Tennessee Central Railroad cuts a prominent diagonal path through this 1955 survey of the Cumberland Plateau, anchoring the town of Monterey. This rail-oriented settlement serves as the primary hub for a landscape defined by dramatic changes in elevation, where the high ridges of Turkey Mountain and Willet Mountain give way to a network of deep drainage basins like Welch Hollow and Barnes Hollow. The distribution of smaller communities such as Rays and Pinhook reflects the era's rural connectivity, often centered around small educational and spiritual institutions.

Genealogists will find a high density of named landmarks, including Welch Memorial Cem, Shady Grove Sch, and Douglas Chapel. The map reveals how local life was carved into the geography of the Falling Water River valley, with family names attached to the many hollows and peaks, from Lee Knob to Stamps Hollow, showing the intimate relationship between the residents of Putnam and Overton counties and the plateau terrain.