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1979 Map of Broad Bottom

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Broad Bottom
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The Levisa Fork carves a deep path through the coal-rich hills of eastern Kentucky, anchoring a chain of valley settlements along its banks. This late-1970s landscape shows the industrial density of the region, where the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad tracks follow the river's curve past Blair Town and Broad Bottom. The map reveals a transition in land use, from traditional small-scale farming at May Farm to the intensive footprints of modern infrastructure, including the Coal Run Substation and the Pikeville Airport.

Genealogists and local historians can trace family locations through numerous named cemeteries like Blankenship Cem and Scaff Cem. Social life in these narrow hollows is anchored by landmarks such as the 4-H Club Camp on Wolf Fork, the Bradley Chapel, and the Drive-in Theater near Stanley Addition. Extensive strip mine labels across the western ridges illustrate the significant role of the extraction industry in shaping the local topography during this era.