1969 Map of Tatums

About this map

The historically Black town of Tatums serves as a focal point in this topographic survey of Carter County, appearing here alongside the massive Graham Oil Field that dominates the central landscape. The era of oil extraction is evident throughout the terrain, marked by a dense network of unimproved roads, pipelines, and the Oil Spring Cem near Alpers. To the east, the rising slopes of the Arbuckle Mountains provide a sharp contrast to the creek-fed lowlands of the west, where Wildhorse Creek and Flat Creek drain the countryside. Local history and genealogy are well-represented by several family or community burial sites, including Tatums Cem, Pooleville Cem, and the Old Monk Cem. The presence of Pilgrim Ch and the settlement of Pooleville indicate established rural community life during this peak period of local petroleum production.