1952 Map of Petros

About this map

Brushy Mountain State Prison sits at the head of a narrow valley, surrounded by the high ridges of Morgan State Forest. This 1952 survey, updated with 1967 cultural revisions, documents a landscape defined by the steep Cumberland Plateau terrain and the industrial extraction of coal. The community of Petros serves as the focal point for the prison and local mining operations, while the Southern railroad line snakes through the valleys to reach Coalfield and Scandlyn. In the surrounding hills, numerous family burial grounds like Joe Goddard Cemetery, Langley Cemetery, and Brasel Cemetery offer significant genealogical value, often located near small rural institutions like the Joyner School and Beech Grove Church. The map's contour lines illustrate the dramatic elevation changes between peaks like Frozen Head Mountain and the deep hollows where Crooked Fork and Little Fork drain the plateau.