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1947 Map of Steele

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Steele
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Camp Sibert occupies a significant footprint in this post-war landscape, situated north of the Gadsden Municipal Airport. The mapping reveals a rural Alabama river economy in transition, where the Coosa River remains a central artery even as older crossings like Listers Ferry and McCardney Ferry are noted as out of use. The topography is dominated by the parallel ridges of the Beaver Creek Mountains and Shinbone Ridge, creating long, narrow valleys that channeled early settlement and transportation.

Local life is anchored by a dense network of country churches and small crossings, such as Old Harmony Ch, Deerman Chapel, and Morgans Crossroad. The Seaboard Air Line Railroad and Southern tracks cut through these gaps, connecting riverside hamlets like Greensport and Ohatchee to the industrial hubs just beyond the ridges. This survey provides a clear view of St. Clair and Etowah Counties before modern highway development bypassed many of these local landmarks.