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1939 Map of Soddy Island

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of Soddy Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1939
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1939

About this map

Chickamauga Reservoir dominates this 1939 survey, illustrating the dramatic transformation of the Tennessee River valley during the Tennessee Valley Authority's infrastructure expansion. The map captures the intricate shoreline where the rising waters met the mouths of Sale Creek, Possum Creek, and Soddy Creek, effectively reshaping the local geography just before the new reservoir was fully realized.

Evidence of the area's long-established rural social structure is preserved through a high density of small family cemeteries and community centers, including Thatcher Cem, Gardenhire Cem, and Zion Ch. The transportation corridor is defined by the Southern RR and Southern Highway running parallel to the western bank, connecting settlements like Bakewell to the broader region. On the eastern side, the landscape remains more dispersed, with winding roads like Birchwood Pike serving agricultural communities near Dolly Pond and Salem Sch.