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1937 Map of Blacksburg

Name: 1937 Topographic Map of Blacksburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the growing municipality of Blacksburg dominate the northern portion of this 1930s survey, illustrating a region defined by its academic, industrial, and agricultural intersections. The rugged Montgomery County landscape is marked by the presence of both the Norfolk and Western and Virginian railroads, which facilitated the extraction of local resources at sites like the Merrimac Mines and the Arsenic Mine near Huffville. Between the high ridges of Brush Mtn and Paris Mountain, dozens of small schoolhouses and churches, such as the Oak Grove Sch and Fairview Ch, serve a network of rural crossroads.

Transportation corridors follow the terrain, notably the Lee Highway passing through Christiansburg and Cambria. The map captures the social and economic landscape of the New River Valley before modern expansion, where active landmarks like Kanodee Mill and the resort at Yellow Sulphur Springs were central to local life. From the headwaters of the South Fork Roanoke River to the small community of Sowers, the map provides a comprehensive look at the infrastructure of the Virginia highlands.