1965 Map of Skyland

About this map

The French Broad River snakes through the center of this mid-century survey, dividing the high ridges of the Pisgah National Forest from the growing suburban and industrial corridors of southern Buncombe County. In the east, the Southern railroad line supports the communities of Skyland, Fletcher, and Naples, while the Blue Ridge Parkway skirts the northern boundary near Ducker Mtn. The landscape reveals a transition from the protected woodlands of the Bent Creek Experimental Forest to the modern infrastructure of the Asheville Municipal Airport and the Asheville Steam Plant on the shores of Limestone Lake. Local history is preserved through numerous family and community landmarks, including the Oak Forest Cem and several country churches like St Barnabas Ch and Fanning Chapel. Small-scale industry is evident in the strip mines near Brickton, illustrating the varied land use of the era.