1939 Map of Amherst

About this map

Amherst serves as the central hub for this Virginia landscape in the mid-1930s, where the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge give way to a network of rural settlements and family-named ridges. The map reveals a dense social infrastructure of the era, with small rural nodes like Lowesville, Piney River, and Sandidges connected by winding roads and the Southern railway. To the north, the George Washington National Forest encompasses massive peaks such as Bald Knob and Mt Pleasant, while the central valleys are defined by the winding Buffalo River and Pedlar River. Genealogists will find particular value in the numerous small churches and schools that dotted the countryside, including the Indian Mission, Mt Moriah Ch, and the Oak Hill Sch, alongside landmarks like Sweet Briar and the historic river crossing at Monroe near the James River.