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1967 Map of Smith Mountain Dam

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Smith Mountain Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Smith Mountain Dam serves as the focal point of this late 1960s landscape, where the Roanoke River and Blackwater River converge to form the intricate, branching arms of Smith Mountain Lake. The map captures a moment when the recently flooded valley transformed the topography of Bedford, Franklin, and Pittsylvania Counties, creating extensive shorelines that reach deep into former creek beds like Craddock Creek and Witcher Creek.

Upland from the rising waters, rural communities and family landmarks remain, including Graves Store and the settlement of Kasey. Local history is preserved through numerous ecclesiastical and burial sites such as Patmos Ch, Staunton Cem, and Thomas Chapel Cem. The transition from the high-elevation reservoir to the lower Leesville Lake is clearly documented at the gap of Smith Mountain, illustrating the massive hydroelectric and recreational reconfiguration of the Piedmont terrain.