1953 Map of Boltsfork

About this map

Little Sandy River and its East Fork carve a deeply dissected landscape through the northern coalfields of Kentucky, where the local economy in the early 1950s was defined by a massive Gas Field and early Strip Mine operations. Small rural communities like Mavity and Alley serve as anchors for a network of valley settlements connected by winding roads. The topography is a dense web of ridges and gaps, notably Laurel Gap and Davis Gap, which dictated the placement of pioneer churches and schools. Local history is preserved in dozens of family-named burial grounds, such as Stevens Cem and Robinette Cem, which are scattered across the hillsides near the Boyd and Lawrence County line. The map illustrates a transitional period when energy extraction began to significantly reshape the traditional agricultural valleys of Boltsfork and Garner.