2016 Map of Pleasant Shade

About this map

Lafayette and the rural hills of the Macon Co borderland define this detailed study of the Middle Tennessee landscape. The terrain is characterized by a dense network of hollows and ridges, such as Thomas Ridge and California Hollow, where the settlement pattern follows the narrow creek valleys of Peyton Cr and White Oak Cr. This region, documented in the mid-2010s, reveals a high density of small family burial grounds, including the Wakefield Family Cem, John R Brooks Cem, and the uniquely named Frogpond Friendship Cem, providing a significant record for genealogical research. Small communities and junctions like Gibbs Crossroads and Pleasant Shade serve as local anchors for the surrounding farms. The nomenclature of the landscape, from Wildcat Hollow to Mutton Bluff, reflects a deep local history tied to the physical geography and early homesteads of the Highland Rim.