1893 Map of Murphy

About this map

The Tennessee North Carolina Boundary Line carves a jagged path through the high peaks of the Blue Ridge in this nineteenth-century survey. Heavy industrial footprints are evident in the southern reaches, where the Isabella Mine, Old Ten Mine, and Mary Mine mark the copper-rich basin near Ducktown. This era of extractive growth is further signaled by a dense network of competing rail lines, including the Marietta and North Georgia R.R. and the Nashville and Tellico R.R., which bypassed older thoroughfares like the Old Federal Road. To the east, the Hiwassee River winds past Hiwassee Sta. toward the mountain-guarded settlement of Murphy. High-elevation landmarks such as Beaverdam Bald and Mc Daniel Bald dominate the eastern topography, while lower valleys are defined by smaller outposts like Postell, Turtletown, and Tellico Plains.