1939 Map of Sams Gap

About this map

Sams Gap and Street Gap punctuate the high ridges along the North Carolina and Tennessee border, marking the steep crossings of the Bald Mountains during the late 1930s. This survey by Fairchild Aerial Surveys reveals a high-elevation landscape where small agricultural communities and family settlements are tucked into the narrow hollows of the Walnut Mountains and Pisgah National Forest. The distribution of family cemeteries like the Shelton Cem and Engle Cem, alongside rural social hubs like Halls Store and the Shady Grove Sch, illustrates the tight-knit nature of these upland mountain pockets.