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1941 Map of Swan Island

Name: 1941 Topographic Map of Swan Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Clinch River meanders through the heart of this East Tennessee landscape, defining the boundaries between Claiborne, Hancock, and Grainger counties as it was mapped in 1941. The river serves as the primary corridor for commerce and community, evidenced by the presence of Manning Ferry and Lawson Mill near the distinctive Lawson Bend. This survey documents a deeply rural settlement pattern of the early 1940s, where small community centers like Bray are anchored by institutions such as Big Creek Chapel and Lawson Sch.

Steep ridges including Chestnut Ridge and Clinch Mountain partition the terrain into narrow valleys like Caney Valley and Poor Valley Fork. Numerous family cemeteries, such as Hatfield Cem and Williams Cem, are scattered across the slopes of Troublesome Ridge and Comby Ridge, providing a significant record of the area's genealogical history. The topographic detail also highlights the namesake Swan Island, a prominent river feature located just downstream from the mouth of Rhea Branch.