1957 Map of Shooting Creek

About this map

Chatuge Lake defines the western edge of this mountain landscape, its shoreline reaching into the valleys where small communities like Shooting Creek and Old Shooting Creek are established. The 1957 topography reveals a dense network of mountain ridges, including Tusquitee Mountain and Chunky Gal Mountain, within the Nantahala National Forest. Settlers and farmers concentrated along the drainage of Shooting Creek, supported by several local congregations such as Bethel Church, Bethabara Church, and Marshall Chapel. Evidence of early industry and commerce appears through the Copper Mine on Big Pine Ridge and the Shooting Creek School. The map also captures numerous family-named coves and gaps, such as Chairmaker Cove, Joe Cove, and Glade Gap, illustrating how the difficult terrain shaped the local geography and social centers before major mid-century developments.