1950 Map of Paden

About this map

Paden sits at the crossing of the Illinois Central Railroad and Mackeys Creek, serving as a central hub in this corner of Tishomingo County. The landscape is defined by the Tennessee Valley Divide, which separates the headwaters of Yellow Creek and Clausel Creek to the north from the southern drainage of Hurricane Creek and Mackeys Creek. This 1950s record, updated with 1969 revisions, shows the rural community structure before the modern expansion of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Numerous community landmarks, including the New Lebanon Church, Forked Oak Church, and Clausel Hill Church, are preserved here alongside family burial grounds like the Stephens Cem and Belue Cem. The presence of Pollard Mill Creek and scattered schools like Lambert Chapel suggests a local economy and social life deeply rooted in the creeks and crossroads of the Mississippi hills.