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1940 Map of Buena Vista

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Buena Vista
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

The James River carves a deep path through the Blue Ridge Mountains on this 1940 survey, marking the convergence of the George Washington National Forest and the Jefferson National Forest. This river corridor serves as a critical industrial and transport artery, hosting both the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and the Norfolk and Western Railway. Near the gap at Balcony Falls, the river meets the North Fork, which flows past the industrial site at Buffalo Forge.

Upland from the river, the landscape is dotted with rural institutions and early infrastructure, including the Gooseneck Dam and numerous family-named schools like Moore Sch and Claytor Sch. A CCC Camp No 101 is noted within the forest boundaries, reflecting Depression-era conservation work. The survey also captures a segment of the Appalachian Trail as it traverses high ridges like Big Rocky Row and Petit Gap, providing a detailed look at the backcountry before mid-century development.