1964 Map of Ridgely

About this map

Reelfoot Lake dominates this Western Tennessee landscape, where the flat, fertile Mississippi River floodplains meet the protected wetlands of the Reelfoot State Wildlife Management Area. The map reveals a complex water management system essential for local agriculture, featuring a prominent Levee, a network of Ditch lines, and a massive Spoil Bank alongside the Running watercourse. Settlement patterns are tied to the Illinois Central Gulf railroad, which links the commercial hub of Ridgely to smaller communities like Wynnburg and Tiptonville. This 1964 survey (with 1981 revisions) is particularly valuable for genealogists, as it meticulously identifies numerous small family and community burial grounds, including Burrus Cem, New Haven Cem, and the Crocketts Chapel cemetery. Landmarks of mid-century leisure, such as the Drive-in Theater near Wynnburg and Sunkist Beach, appear alongside industrial features like the Gravel Pits in the southeast.