1954 Map of Broad Bottom

About this map

The Levisa Fork valley in eastern Kentucky serves as the primary corridor for settlement and industry in the mid-1950s, where the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad tracks parallel the winding river. Small communities such as Blair Town, Mossy Bottom, and Broad Bottom are tightly packed along the narrow valley floors, while the surrounding hills are dotted with hundreds of Gas Wells, indicating the region's intensive natural gas extraction. The presence of numerous specialized institutions like the Academy Sch, Mullins Sch, and the Pikeville Airfield suggests a transition from rural homesteading toward a more organized industrial and educational landscape. Local social life is evidenced by the Snivley Chapel, a Golf Course, and a Drive-in Theater near Boldman, showing how entertainment and community hubs followed the main transportation arteries between the ridges.