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1996 Map of Belle

Name: 1996 Topographic Map of Belle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2000
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2000

About this map

Kanawha River serves as the industrial and transportation spine for this region, flanked by the river-valley settlements of Marmet, Chesapeake, and Belle. The landscape is defined by the sharp contrast between the dense development along the water and the narrow, winding hollows like Old West Hollow and Sweethome Hollow that reach back into the surrounding ridges. Industry is heavily represented by extensive strip mines and numerous tipple sites, particularly around Winifrede and the Cabin Creek district.

Genealogists will find a wealth of family history preserved in remote burial grounds such as Wrightsville Cem, Hawks Cem, and Mitchell Cem. The map documents the intricate network of the Conrail and West Virginia Central RR lines, which supported the local coal economy. Landmarks like the Opera House Hol and Lens Creek Ch provide a look at the social fabric of these mountain communities during the late twentieth century, set against the protected lands of the Kanawha State Forest.