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2013 Map of Buchanan

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Buchanan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Buchanan serves as the focal point of this modern topographic study, where the James River snakes through the Botetourt County landscape. The settlement patterns follow the river's winding path, notably at the dramatic Horseshoe Bend and through the narrow passage of The Gorge. Transportation history is visible in landmarks like the Springwood Truss Bridge near Springwood and the concentrated grid of streets in the town center, including Albemarle Ave and Culpepper Ave.

Elevations rise sharply away from the river valley toward the prominent heights of Purgatory Mountain, which features the Purgatory Mountain Lookout. To the east, the Short Hills and Little Cove Mountain frame the horizon, providing a backdrop for smaller communities like Dillon and Greyledge. The landscape is a network of named drainages such as Looney Cr and Penn Br, and significant mountain passes like Cartmell Gap and Cherry Orchard Gap that have long dictated movement through this section of the Blue Ridge foothills.