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1961 Map of Whetstone

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Whetstone
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Whetstone and Mountain Rest anchor this 1961 survey of the Upstate South Carolina wilderness, a region defined by the deep gorges of the Chattooga River and Chauga River. The landscape is a mosaic of public lands within the Sumter National Forest and Chattahoochee National Forest, where steep ridges like Whetstone Ridge and peaks such as Hurricane Mountain and Stumphouse Mountain dictate the placement of early mountain settlements.

Social and educational centers are well-documented, including the Long Creek Academy and several rural sanctuaries like Monte Vista Church and Mountain Grove Church. Remarkable infrastructure like the Old Railroad Grade and the Tunnel near Stumphouse Mountain hint at unfinished Victorian-era engineering projects designed to pierce the Blue Ridge. These features, along with early crossings like Cassidy Bridge and Land Bridge, provide a clear picture of the isolated communities and the logistical challenges of the Blue Ridge Escarpment during the mid-20th century.