Loading map...

1914 Map of Troublesome

Name: 1914 Topographic Map of Troublesome
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1914
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1914

About this map

Troublesome Creek and its many winding tributaries define this section of the Cumberland Plateau, where the landscape is carved into a dense network of narrow ridges and hollows. During this era of early 20th-century development, the settlement pattern followed these watercourses, with small communities like Buckhorn, Dwarf, and Emmalena serving as focal points for the surrounding hills.

A striking number of rural educational sites are documented here, reflecting the importance of local centers like Balls Fork School, Rock Fork School, and Caney School. The map also captures the tri-county intersection of Breathitt, Perry, and Knott counties. Topographic landmarks such as Potato Knob and Grey Horse Hill provide a sense of the steep verticality that isolated these mountain communities before modern infrastructure arrived.