1977 Map of Buena Vista

About this map

Buena Vista sits at the edge of the mountains where the James River cuts through the gap, serving as a primary point of settlement in this 1977 orthophotograph. The imagery captures the winding path of the Blue Ridge Parkway as it traverses high elevations near Bluff Mountain and Robinson Gap. The landscape transitions from the developed riverfront to the dense forest of the Blue Ridge, where small communities like Oronoco and Beverlytown are situated in the high country. In the eastern portion of the map, the Lynchburg Reservoir and the headwaters of the Pedlar River provide a critical water source for the region. This aerial perspective, prepared from 1977 photography, highlights the dramatic vertical relief of the territory and the isolation of the mountain hamlets relative to the more industrial valley floor.