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1942 Map of Swan Island

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of Swan Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

The Clinch River carves a winding path through the parallel ridges of East Tennessee, defining the life and movement of this rural landscape in the early 1940s. Transportation relies on the river and its crossings, most notably Manning Ferry and the numerous bends like Crane-neck Bend and Lawson Bend. This era shows a dense network of local institutions that anchored family life, including Providence Sch, Clinchview Sch, and Friendly Chapel.

The terrain is dominated by the massive rise of Clinch Mountain and Copper Ridge, which create isolated valleys like Poor Valley and Caney Valley. This physical isolation preserved traditional landmarks such as Lawson Mill and the historic Bunches Trace. A high concentration of family-named burial grounds, including the Barnard Cem and Hensley Cem, provides an invaluable spatial record for genealogists researching the communities of Hancock and Grainger counties.