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1958 Map of Selma

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Selma
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

The Alabama River winds through the heart of Dallas County, forming dramatic oxbows like Kings Bend and Whites Bend as it flows past the regional hub of Selma. This 1950s landscape shows a significant transition from river-based activity to modern military and rail infrastructure, anchored by the sprawling Craig Air Force Base and the institutional presence of Selma University. The rail network of the Southern and Louisville and Nashville railroads connects outlying settlements like Marion Junction and Orrville to the city core.

Local life is recorded through numerous rural landmarks, from Shiloh Jr High Sch to Harper Chapel. The map details the complex drainage of the Black Belt, where Oakmulgee Creek and Cahaba River join the Alabama. Evidence of the area's agricultural and social history is visible in the distribution of family-named cemeteries and churches, such as Childers Chapel Cem and Pernell Ch, which dot the terrain between the major river bluffs.