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1940 Map of Spurgeon

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Spurgeon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

The confluence of the South Fork Holston River and the Watauga River anchors this pre-war survey of the Tennessee borderlands. This landscape is defined by the winding river bends like Deerrick Bend and Hicks Bend, where the terrain transitions from the heights of Clinchfield Ridge down to established river crossings such as Shipley Ferry and the Smith Shoal Bridge. The rural economy of 1939 is visible through features like the Boone Creek Mill and the Clinchfield RR cutting through the hills via the Free Hill Tunnel.

Social and educational life in the settlements of Spurgeon, Fordtown, and Flourville is well-documented, featuring landmarks like the Ladies Academy and several country churches including Wheeler Chapel and Beulah Ch. The emergence of modern infrastructure is evident in the presence of McKellar Field and the Tri-City Airport, marking a shift toward regional connectivity while old family landmarks like Bora Bluff and the Buffalo Cem preserve the area's deep-rooted history.