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1957 Map of Big Stone Gap

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Big Stone Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Big Stone Gap serves as the industrial and transport hub of this 1957 survey, situated at the confluence of the Powell River and South Fork. The map reveals a landscape defined by the extraction economy and the rugged topography of Stone Mountain and Pine Ridge, with coal operations such as Big Stone Gap No 2 and Big Stone Gap No 9 dotting the terrain. The presence of the Southern and Louisville and Nashville railroads underscores the importance of regional coal transport during the mid-20th century.

Family genealogy is deeply rooted in the numerous cemeteries scattered across the ridges, including the Wampler Cem, Napier Cem, and Coldiron Cem. Small mountain communities like Exeter, Irondale, and Olinger are shown in their historic configurations, connected by the legendary Lonesome Pine Road. The southern reaches of the map transition into the Turkey Cove and Lovelady Valley, where agricultural patterns follow the North Fork Clinch River.