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1932 Map of Salem

Name: 1932 Topographic Map of Salem
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1945
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1945

About this map

Salem sits at the heart of this valley landscape, where the Roanoke River and the Norfolk and Western railway follow the natural corridor between the ridges of the Blue Ridge and Appalachian mountains. The survey captures the region during a period of transition, documented in the late 1920s, showing the concentrated development of Edgewood and Sunset Village near the city, while the surrounding hills remain dotted with small rural institutions like Shiloh Ch, Gum Springs Sch, and Webbs Mill.

The topography is dominated by the massive parallel ridges of Catawba Mountain and Johns Creek Mountain. Notable landmarks of the era are clearly marked, including the Catawba Sanatorium nestled in the hills and the subterranean Dixie Caverns to the southwest. From the high point of McAfee Knob to the industrial presence of the Virginian railroad, the map illustrates the 1930s intersection of mountain wilderness and Piedmont commerce.