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1939 Map of White Rock

Name: 1939 Topographic Map of White Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Big Laurel Creek winds through the heart of this mountain landscape, serving as the central drainage for a network of hollows and ridges within the Pisgah National Forest. The settlement pattern in the late 1930s reflects a community tied closely to these waterways, with small clusters like White Rock and Guntertown situated at key valley junctions. Higher elevation points such as Sugarloaf Mountain and Hicks Mountain define the horizon, while numerous family-named landmarks suggest a deep-rooted local genealogy.

Social life in this corner of Madison County centered on neighborhood institutions, including the Rice Sch and several country churches like Brigman Chapel and Chestnut Hill Ch. The presence of many small burial grounds, such as Franklin Cem and the Bullman Cem, further emphasizes the generational connection to the land. Roads of the era follow the natural contours of the branches, connecting the isolated gaps and knobs that dominate the terrain.