2019 Map of Oswald Dome

About this map

Oswald Dome and the surrounding heights of the Cherokee National Forest dominate this section of Polk County, where the Hiwassee River cuts a deep valley through the southern Appalachian landscape. Small settlements like Old Patty, Austral, and Reliance are situated along the riverbanks or tucked into the narrow gaps between ridges. The terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes, moving from the river flats near Jenkins Island and Long Island up to the high points of Chilhowee Mtn / Bean Mtn and Presswood Mtn. Numerous family-named cemeteries, including Nicholson Cem, Dunn Cem, and Brock Cem, are scattered across the hillsides, often situated near historic road traces like Columbus Rd or Moss Rd. The distribution of these burial grounds and local congregations, such as Antioch Ch, provides a clear view of the rural settlement patterns that have persisted in these mountain gaps for generations.