1969 Map of Beckwith

About this map

Beards Fork and the surrounding Fayette County landscape reveal an intensive industrial era dominated by coal and rail just before the 1970s. The terrain is deeply marked by numerous Strip Mine operations and individual Mine entries, connected by a network of Conveyor systems and rail lines including the Norfolk and Western and the Chesapeake and Ohio. Small mining settlements like Lochgelly, Summerlee, and Wriston sit along the creek beds, their social fabric anchored by landmarks such as Loop Creek Ch, Bethel Ch, and Doggett Chapel. In the northern corner, the topography shifts toward the dramatic confluence at the Kanawha River and New River, where Hawks Nest State Park provides a recreational contrast to the industrial character of nearby Deepwater and Charlton Heights. The map also captures mid-century cultural artifacts like the Harlem Heights Drive-in Theater and the 4-H Camp near Beckwith.