1968 Map of Blackwater Falls

About this map

Blackwater River carves through the high plateau of the Allegheny Mountains in this late 1960s survey, defined by the sharp descent of Blackwater Falls and the sprawling wetland complex of the Canaan Valley. The landscape reflects a mix of recreation and resource extraction, with Canaan Valley State Park and the Dolly Sods Wilderness preserving the high-altitude terrain, while a Strip Mine near Fairfax Knob and scattered gas wells and drill holes indicate the era's industrial activity. Small settlements like Cortland and Canaan Heights are connected by a network of trails and jeep tracks. The presence of a Landing Strip in the center of the valley and a Golf Course further south suggests the region's mid-century transition toward a tourism-based economy, even as the Monongahela National Forest remains the dominant steward of the surrounding slopes.