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1953 Map of Sturgeon

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Sturgeon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Sturgeon Creek winds through this 1950s landscape of the Cumberland Plateau, defining a network of steep hollows and narrow ridges in Owsley and Jackson counties. The settlement pattern is strikingly decentralized, with community life anchored by numerous rural schools and churches such as Bethlehem Sch, Travis Sch, and the Warren Chapel overlooking Sturgeon Creek. Small hamlets like Travellers Rest, Earnestville, and Green Hall serve as local hubs for the surrounding farmsteads.

Energy extraction is evident near the northern border with Lee County, where several Oil Wells are located near Standing Rock. The topography is densely marked by local nomenclature for every fork and branch, including Dismal Creek and Rowlette Creek. Much of the western portion of the map falls within the Cumberland National Forest, where features like Wild Dog Cr and Little Wild Dog Cr illustrate the deep-cut drainage typical of the region's geography.