1943 Map of Skyland

About this map

The French Broad River and Mills River define the topography of this 1943 survey, carving through the mountainous terrain of the Blue Ridge foothills. Settlement is concentrated along the Southern railroad corridor and the Dixie Highway, where the villages of Fletcher and Skyland serve as regional hubs. The landscape reveals a deeply established rural network of family and community landmarks, from the Britton Cem to numerous country churches like St Johns Ch and Mt Gilead Ch. Western portions of the sheet transition into the protected wilderness of the Pisgah National Forest, marked by landmarks like Hogback Knob and the U S F S Guard Sta. This era captures the region's transition from an agrarian river-bottom economy toward the suburban growth seen at Royal Pines and Oak Park.