1913 Map of Bluefield

About this map

Princeton serves as the focal point of this 1913 survey, situated north of the prominent East River Mountain ridge. The landscape of Mercer Co is defined by a dense network of early 20th-century rural infrastructure, particularly a high concentration of local schools such as Grecian Bend School, Sand Gap School, and Mactor School that served isolated hollows. Along the Bluestone River and its tributaries like Brush Creek and Widmouth Creek, small settlements including Matoaka, Springton, and Hiawatha demonstrate the era's reliance on river valleys for transport and community placement. The map captures the region before the extensive modern developments in South Bluefield, providing a clear view of the mountain gaps and river crossings that dictated the growth of towns like Athens and Spanishburg during the pre-war period.