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1938 Map of Port Birmingham

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Port Birmingham
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1938
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1938

About this map

Industrial development and coal mining dominate the landscape of Walker and Jefferson counties during the mid-1930s. The serpentine path of the Locust Fork and Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River dictates the region's transport network, where several river crossings such as Copeland Ferry, Alwood Ferry, and Taylor Ferry remain vital for local transit before the era of widespread bridges.

The presence of the Bessie Mines, Maxine Shaft, and Big Ridge Shaft reflects the intensive extraction activities that fueled local settlements like Port Birmingham and Bessie Junction. Heavy rail infrastructure from the Southern Railway and the Louisville & Nashville Railroad laces through the hills to service these mine sites. Genealogists may find value in the dispersed rural landmarks, including Morgan Chapel, Liberty Ch, and the isolated Heard Shoal Cem situated near the river's edge.