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1934 Map of Searles

Name: 1934 Topographic Map of Searles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1934
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1934

About this map

The Black Warrior River carves a deep path through this portion of the Jefferson and Tuscaloosa county line, defined by a complex system of locks including Lock No 16 and Lock No 14. During the late 1920s, the region supported a dispersed network of industrial and agricultural communities. Settlements such as Kellerman, Searles, and Brookwood are linked by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, reflecting the area's reliance on rail and river transport.

Social life in the rural uplands centered on numerous small institutions like Piney Woods Ch and Spencer Hill Sch. The presence of Iron Ore Mountain and local operations such as Pattons Mills and Thompsons Mill highlight the extractable resources and early processing sites that shaped the local economy. From the high point at Round Mtn to the winding course of Yellow Creek, the map provides a look at Alabama's coal and iron country before modern development altered the landscape.