1936 Map of Norris Dam

About this map

The Clinch River dominates this mid-1930s landscape during a period of massive transformation led by the Tennessee Valley Authority. This survey captures the new shoreline of the Norris Reservoir and the carefully planned community of Norris, established to house workers for the nearby dam project. To the west, the rugged topography of Walden Ridge and Cumberland Mountain shelters established coal-mining communities like Briceville, Fraterville, and Coal Creek, connected by the Louisville and Nashville and Southern railroads. The map provides a detailed view of the social infrastructure before modernization fully swept the valley, documenting numerous family burial grounds such as Longfield Cem and Pemberton Cem, alongside rural landmarks like the Clinton Forest Nursery and CCC Camp No 494. Local life centers on the county seat at Clinton and traditional gathering places like Dutch Valley Ch and Taylor Chapel.