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1962 Map of Branchland

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Branchland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The Guyandotte River serves as the primary artery through this Lincoln County landscape, dictating the placement of both the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad and primary settlements. Communities such as Branchland, Midkiff, and Sheridan are pinned between the river and the steep ridges of Laurel Hill. The extraction of natural resources is evident throughout the terrain, with numerous gas and oil wells dotting the hillsides, supported by a Compressor Sta near Hubball.

Genealogists will find a wealth of family history preserved in the numerous upland burial grounds, including Jeffers Cem, McComas Cem, and Payne Cem. Local life centered around small institutions like the Pine Grove Sch and churches such as Mt Zion Ch and Lower Tenmile Ch. This survey provides a look at the region’s topography before significant modern development, showing the intricate network of creek-bed roads and narrow hollows that defined Appalachian coal and gas country in the early 1960s.