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1976 Map of Tuskeegee

Name: 1976 Topographic Map of Tuskeegee
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Tuskeegee is situated in the high elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains during the mid-1970s, as shown in this orthophotomap that reveals the dense forest canopy and steep terrain of Swain County. The deep waters of Fontana Lake dominate the central landscape, where the Little Tennessee River was transformed by the construction of the Fontana Dam. This aerial perspective provides a clear view of the winding shoreline and the numerous coves created by the flooded mountain valleys.

Rising above the water to the north, the prominent Welch Ridge leads toward the heights of Welch Bald and the Pinnacle. The map captures the isolation of this mountain community, showing how the local road network clings to the ridges and slopes surrounding the lake. For researchers, this imagery offers a precise record of the topography and land cover before later decades of development and changing forest management in the region.