1948 Map of Salem

About this map

The Elk River winds through the borderlands of Alabama and Tennessee, defining a landscape of hollows and ridge-top settlements just as the post-war era transformed the region. The Elk River Fish Hatchery and the sprawling waters of the Wheeler Reservoir at elevation 556 demonstrate the mid-century engineering of the Tennessee Valley Authority. This topographic record highlights a dense network of rural infrastructure, from the Exeter Ferry Bridge crossing the river to a cluster of community centers like Gourdsville and Leggtown.