1958 Map of Bancroft

About this map

The West Virginia landscape near the end of the 1950s is defined by the high, winding spine of Sandhill Ridge and the deeply dissected hills that characterize this portion of the state. Settlement patterns remain sparse across the upland terrain, with small, localized places like Extra marking the map alongside the natural drainage patterns of the region. This 1958 field-checked survey captures the rural character of the area just before significant modernization, showing a topography shaped by steep ridges and narrow hollows. The layout of these physical features reveals how geography dictated the early development and transit routes within this part of West Virginia, preserved here in precise detail by the U.S. Geological Survey.