1939 Map of Plum Grove

About this map

The Clinch River and Holston River define the northern and southern extremes of this landscape, carving through the ridges of Hawkins County. The 1939 field examination captures a period when the rural economy relied on a network of small churches and schools scattered through the gaps of Poor Valley Ridge and Clinch Mountain. Settlements like New Canton and Bellamytown serve as local hubs, while the Southern railroad line runs through the southeast corner, including the New Canton Siding. The terrain is characterized by long, parallel ridges and valleys, including Stanley Valley and Gravelly Valley, which dictated the placement of early homesteads and roads like the Lee Highway. Notable landmarks such as Amis Chapel and the Chalybeate Springs reflect the cultural and natural geography of this Tennessee-Virginia borderland during the late 1930s.