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1971 Map of Wheeler Dam

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Wheeler Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Tennessee River serves as the central artery of this region, separating Lauderdale County from Colbert and Lawrence Counties. The 1971 landscape is defined by the massive Wheeler Dam and the expanse of Wilson Lake, which transformed the local topography. Along the northern banks, established communities like Center Star and Elgin sit near the Lee Highway, while the creation of Joe Wheeler State Park and Wheeler Dam Village reflects the era's focus on hydroelectric development and recreation.

Away from the main river channel, the map reveals a dense network of family history through numerous burial grounds such as Old Tarvard Cem and Hennigan Cem. Small-scale agricultural and local industry roots are evident at Fosters Mill on Town Creek, while several rural schools and churches, including Pleasant Valley Ch and Hatton Sch, mark the social centers of these North Alabama communities during the early 1970s.