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1949 Map of Ohatchee

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Ohatchee
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The Coosa River carves a deep valley through the Appalachian ridges of Alabama, serving as a political and topographical boundary between St. Clair, Etowah, and Calhoun counties. The river remains a primary corridor for commerce and transport in the late 1940s, marked by Woods Island and the critical crossing at Francis Ferry. The Seaboard Air Line railroad parallels the river's eastern bank, connecting small settlements like Francis and Ohatchee to the broader regional economy.

Upland from the river, the landscape is defined by the steep Beaver Creek Mountains and Shoal Creek Mountains. Local life is anchored by dispersed rural landmarks, including Oldham Chapel and Paint Rock Ch, alongside the Fort McClellan Military Reservation in the southeast. Several mountain gaps, such as Fremont Gap and Dodds Gap, dictate the flow of travel through this corrugated terrain, where creeks like Big Canoe Creek and Shoal Creek drain the valleys.