1961 Map of Bluefield

About this map

Bluefield and the coal-country towns of the Appalachians are depicted here as they appeared in the early 1960s. The landscape is defined by the sharp ridges of the Allegheny Mountains and the Blue Ridge, which forced the development of towns like Welch and Mullens into narrow river valleys. A complex network of heavy rail infrastructure, including the Norfolk and Western Ry and the Virginian Ry, connects the mining districts to the outside world. This survey also records a significant era of hydraulic change, showing the Bluestone Reservoir and Claytor Lake along the New River system. The map serves as a vital record for researchers tracing the industrial footprint of the Raleigh Co and Giles Co borders before the expansion of the modern interstate system, highlighting the prominence of older routes like U.S. 460 and U.S. 11.