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2011 Map of Big Chimney

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Big Chimney
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

The Elk River carves a deep valley through this portion of Kanawha County, shaping a landscape defined by sharp ridges and narrow hollows. In the southern half of the map, suburban expansion from the Charleston area is evident in the residential clusters of Big Chimney, Mink Shoals, and Knollwood. These settlements are tightly constrained between the winding river and steep terrain features like Bald Knob and Holmes Knob. The importance of the river for local infrastructure is marked by the Shoal Dam and the concentration of transportation routes including the historic corridor of the Elk River.

Away from the riverbanks, the map documents a series of rural family-named locations and smaller creek-side communities such as Legg and Aarons. Genealogy-focused researchers can locate several upland burial grounds, including Hanes Cemetery and the Burdette-Walker Cemetery, which remain preserved on the ridges overlooking Huggard Branch and Threemile Fork. The topographic detail highlights the intricate network of hollows like Hammack Hollow and Tarkin Hollow that have long dictated the placement of roads and homesteads in this part of West Virginia.