1961 Map of Tallega

About this map

The Middle Fork Kentucky River snakes through the high ridges of the Cumberland Plateau, defining a landscape where transportation and settlement are dictated by the winding water gaps. During the mid-twentieth century, the Louisville and Nashville railroad served as the primary industrial artery, piercing through the steep terrain via engineering feats like the Tyler Tunnel and Mud Tunnel. This 1961 revision shows a high concentration of small rural communities and local institutions, such as Athol, Tallega, and the Rock Luck Mission Hall, which acted as social anchors for the surrounding hollows.