1939 Map of White Rock

About this map

Shelton Cem and Cook Cem sit within the high elevations of the Pisgah National Forest in this pre-war survey of Madison County. The landscape is defined by the winding course of Shelton Laurel Creek, which served as the primary corridor for small settlements like White Rock and Cutshalltown. Life in the late 1930s centered around communal hubs such as the Middle Laurel Ch and the Rice Sch, with local industry represented by the Rice Mill along Big Laurel Creek. The rugged geography of Richland Mountain and Hicks Mountain separated these narrow valley communities, creating a network of gaps and ridges like Mile Gap and Seng Ridge that dictated travel and homesteading patterns. This map documents a time when the Dixie Highway provided a vital link through the mountains, connecting isolated hollows to the wider region.