1897 Map of Buckhannon

About this map

The Buckhannon River serves as the central artery for this late nineteenth-century portrait of Central West Virginia, where isolated upland settlements and early industrial sites are linked by rugged mountain ridges. Long before the region was modernised, small communities like French Creek and Pumpkin Town were established amidst a landscape defined by significant elevations such as Turkey Bone Mtn and Point Mtn. The map reveals a high concentration of spiritual and commercial landmarks essential for local history research, including the Goshen Church, Buckwheat Church, and Alkires Mill. Along the southern reaches, the network of watercourses like Hacker Valley and the Monongahela River headwaters illustrates the difficult terrain that dictated early transportation routes and the placement of remote outposts such as Indian Camp and Trubieboille.