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1953 Map of Wear Cove

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Wear Cove
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Tuckaleechee and the neighboring settlement of Townsend serve as the western gateway to the high ridges of the Smokies in this mid-century survey. The landscape is defined by the steep transition from the valley floor up to the heights of Bates Mountain and Meigs Mountain. The mapping reveals a community deeply rooted in the land, with numerous family-named landmarks and cemeteries such as Brickey Cemetery, Myers Cemetery, and Hatcher Cemetery scattered throughout the coves.

Within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the map traces the winding course of the Little River through the Gorge, passing natural features like The Sinks. Higher elevations are marked by remote locales such as Walker Fields and Camp Townsend, alongside small rural institutions like the Park Settlement School and Friendship Church, illustrating the dispersed settlement patterns characteristic of the Tennessee mountains before modern development shifted the region's focus.