2019 Map of Ansted

About this map

Ansted and the surrounding Fayette County uplands are defined by the deep, winding gorge of the Gauley River. This 2019 survey documents a landscape of dramatic elevation shifts, where high points like Bearwallow Knob overlook a network of whitewater, including the vividly named Pure Screaming Hell Rapids and Heaven Help You Rapids near Koontz Bend. The settlement pattern follows the ridgelines and creek hollows, with older communities like Victor, Mountain Cove, and Marvel linked by historic routes such as the Midland Trl. For the local historian, the map provides precise locations for several regional burial grounds, including Westlake Cem, Mount Chapel Cem, and Restlawn Memory Gardens. The transition from the river bottom at Peters Junction to the high Dogwood Ridge illustrates the geographic complexity that shaped the development of these Appalachian coal and timber communities.