{"product_id":"old-map-of-highlands-north-carolina-by-usgs-1947-cashiers-nantahala-national-forest-whitewater-falls","title":"Old Map of Highlands, North Carolina by USGS, 1947 – Cashiers, Nantahala National Forest \u0026 Whitewater Falls","description":"\u003cp\u003eIssued in 1947 under the succinct title “Highlands,” this U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 topographical map presents one of the most dramatic mountain landscapes in western North Carolina with scientific precision and quiet visual elegance. Centered on the resort town of Highlands, the sheet captures a high-elevation world of ridges, coves, streams, and forested slopes at a moment when the southern Appalachians were increasingly prized for recreation, conservation, and scenic escape. Its contour lines give the terrain a sculptural quality, revealing the steep rises and folded valleys that define the Blue Ridge. With its earthy palette and carefully organized detail, the map is both a practical government survey and a richly atmospheric portrait of place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe U.S. Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became the great national authority on American terrain, translating mountains, rivers, roads, and settlements into a uniform cartographic language. In this map of Highlands, that language is especially compelling: contour intervals and shaded relief convey the altitude and complexity of the southern Appalachian uplands, while watercourses and place names anchor the viewer in a living landscape. The map belongs to a period when USGS quadrangles were essential tools for engineers, foresters, hikers, conservationists, and local planners. Its disciplined style reflects the agency’s broader mission—to measure the nation’s physical character—yet the result is far from dry. The Highlands region emerges as a place of movement, elevation, and finely observed natural structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHighlands itself occupies a remarkable setting near the crest of the Blue Ridge, a mountain town long celebrated for cool summer air, sweeping vistas, and proximity to waterfalls and old-growth forest. Around it, the map traces a dense network of streams descending toward larger river systems, including the Cullowhee, Horsepasture, and Chattooga watersheds. The Chattooga River, later protected as a National Wild and Scenic River, appears here within its broader mountain context, a corridor of steep ravines and wild water. Nearby names such as Scaly Mountain, Flat Mountain, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Rabun Bald evoke the striking topographic variety of the region, where rounded summits, sharp divides, and hidden hollows create a landscape of unusual richness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe surrounding natural landmarks give the map much of its allure. Nantahala National Forest, one of the great public landscapes of the southern Appalachians, frames the Highlands area with expanses of protected mountain terrain. Whitewater Falls, among the highest waterfalls in the eastern United States, belongs to the same dramatic hydrological world suggested by the map’s tight contours and rushing drainages. To the northeast and east, places such as Lake Toxaway, Glenville Lake, Panthertown Valley, Coopers Creek, and Moses Creek situate Highlands within a larger mosaic of forests, basins, lakes, and water-carved valleys. The map rewards close study, as each named feature contributes to a broader story of elevation, rainfall, geology, and Appalachian isolation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a 1947 document, the map also records a pivotal historical moment in the mountain South. The decades after the New Deal brought new attention to national forests, roads, public lands, and outdoor recreation, while older rural patterns of settlement and travel were still visible across the landscape. Highlands was already known as a mountain retreat, yet the large-scale development and tourism infrastructure of later decades had not fully transformed the region. In that sense, the map offers more than topographic information: it preserves a mid-century view of a distinctive Appalachian environment before many modern pressures intensified. Its careful contours, place names, and forested expanses make it a refined and evocative record of one of North Carolina’s most beautiful highland districts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHighlands, North Carolina\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCashiers, North Carolina\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlue Ridge Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNantahala National Forest\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLake Toxaway\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCullowhee River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChattooga River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHorsepasture River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhitewater Falls\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScaly Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRabun Bald\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePanthertown Valley\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSugarloaf Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlat Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGlenville Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoopers Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMoses Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChattooga National Wild and Scenic River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map depicts Highlands, North Carolina and the surrounding area.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map is dated 1947 and carries a 1947 imprint.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the US Geological Survey, a scientific agency of the U.S. government known for geological surveying and mapping.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map focuses on Highlands, North Carolina, an area noted for its picturesque scenery and high altitude.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContour lines and shading depict elevation and terrain variations, accurately conveying the mountainous character of the region.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe map showcases the hilly and mountainous terrain of the southern Appalachian region.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 1947 map reflects a historical view of the area during a period when outdoor recreation and natural conservation were gaining popularity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVibrant greens and earthy tones emphasize the rugged terrain and enhance the map’s geographical features.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58792142864768,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58792142897536,"sku":null,"price":146.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58792142930304,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58792142963072,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58792142995840,"sku":null,"price":146.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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