1949 Map of Sunlight

About this map

William B Bankhead National Forest defines the northern reaches of this rural Alabama landscape, where the deeply incised valleys of the Sipsey Fork and Blackwater Creek dictate the pattern of human settlement. In the late 1940s, the area shows a transition from traditional subsistence landmarks to industrial extraction, evidenced by several Strip Mines operating near Sunlight. This period was a high point for local rural institutions; the map is densely populated with small country sanctuaries such as Blooming Grove Ch, Mt Vernon Ch, and Philadelphia Ch. Genealogists will find particular value in the documentation of the Blooming Grove Cem and Tidwell Cem, as well as the naming of rural junctions like Burrows Crossroads. The presence of a Lookout Tower near the Winston and Walker county line highlights the ongoing management of the expansive timberlands during this era.