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1954 Map of Petroleum

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Petroleum
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Scottsville serves as the focal point of this mid-century landscape where the Louisville and Nashville railroad winds through the hills of Allen County. The map captures a moment when rural life centered on a dense network of country churches and small schools, such as Hickory Hill Ch, Dover Ch, and Mt Union Sch. Evidence of the region's extractive economy is visible through numerous Oil Wells scattered across the northern sections, particularly near Watkins Branch and Rough Creek.

The southern portion of the sheet traces the jagged Kentucky Tennessee state line, cutting through remote hollows like Cook Hollow and Cider Press Hollow. Small settlements like Petroleum and Rodemer are positioned along the rail line, while family-named landmarks such as the Old Carter Cem and Macedonia Ch provide critical reference points for genealogists. The terrain is defined by the winding paths of Trammel Creek and the Finney River, illustrating the rugged hydrology that dictated local settlement patterns.