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1958 Map of Big A Mountain

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Big A Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Big A Mountain dominates the central landscape of this southwest Virginia survey, marking the intersection of the Buchanan and Russell County lines. The high-altitude terrain is defined by the Tennessee Valley Divide, where steep hollows and branches like Jakes Fork and Hurricane Creek flow north and south from the ridgelines. Small mountain communities like Council and Venia are connected by narrow roads following the creek beds, while higher elevations are marked by isolated landmarks like the Big A Lookout Tower.

Genealogists and local historians will find a dense distribution of family-named cemeteries and rural institutions. Numerous small burial grounds, including the Whitt Cem, Lockhart Cem, and Rasnake Cem, dot the hillsides near places of worship such as Austin Chapel and Corinth Ch. The presence of the Fletcher Ridge School and Big A Mountain Sch reflects the mid-century social fabric of these remote coalfield regions, while the inclusion of a Strip mine on Sandy Ridge points to the area's emerging industrial reliance on the land's underlying resources.