1952 Map of Woodstock

About this map

Buck Creek and its many winding tributaries, such as Hurricane Creek and Caney Branch, define the complex geography of this central Kentucky landscape in the early 1950s. The region is characterized by high knobs and deep hollows, where local life centered around small rural settlements like Woodstock, Bee Lick, and Goochtown. The distribution of dozens of small institutions suggests a dispersed agricultural community where school and church served as primary social hubs. For example, family and neighborhood roots are anchored by landmarks like Little Magdalene Cem and Griffin Cem, while numerous one-room schoolhouses, including Pence Sch, Todd Sch, and Singleton Sch, are scattered along the ridgelines and creek bottoms. This detailed survey by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the area just as the rural school system was beginning to consolidate, preserving the locations of these vanished community centers.