1953 Map of Olympia

About this map

Bourbon Furnace (Ruins) stands as a silent witness to the early industrial history of Bath County, located along the winding course of Polk Creek. By the early 1950s, the community of Olympia served as a key point on the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, which cut through the northern portion of the quadrangle. The map captures a transition from the structured rail corridors to the deeply dissected terrain of the Cumberland National Forest, where the landscape is defined by prominent knobs like Mount Olympus and North Knob. Local life is recorded through family landmarks and small rural institutions, including the Jackson Cem, Shrout Cem, and several schoolhouses like Pine Grove Sch. The rugged boundary between Bath and Menifee counties follows the high ridges, separating the many drainages such as Slate Creek and Lick Creek that carve through this section of the Kentucky hills.