1968 Map of Blackwater Falls

About this map

Canaan Mountain and the high elevation floor of Canaan Valley dominate this landscape during a period of transition toward recreational land use in the late 1960s. The northern reaches of the Monongahela National Forest encompass the dramatic Blackwater Falls and the surrounding Blackwater Falls State Park, while the southern portion reveals the early development of Canaan Valley State Park, complete with its Golf Course. Industrial echoes remain via the Western Maryland tracks and a Strip Mine near the northern boundary, though the land increasingly favors conservation. Small agrarian settlements like Cortland and Canaan Heights sit amidst a complex hydrology of runs and forks, including the North Branch Blackwater River and Yoakum Run. Notable peaks such as Bearden Knob and the distinct Chimney Rock overlook the winding Blackwater River.