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1986 Map of Buena Vista

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Buena Vista
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The James River and Maury River systems define the central landscape of this mid-1980s survey, where the Shenandoah Valley meets the dramatic ridges of the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. The map is particularly notable for its concentration of higher education institutions, documenting the campuses of Washington and Lee University, Virginia Military Institute, Southern Seminary College, and Sweet Briar College. This academic core is surrounded by an extensive network of public lands, including the George Washington National Forest and the Jefferson National Forest.

Industrial and transport history is preserved through the routes of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and the Norfolk and Western Railway, which thread through river gaps and mountain passes. Settlement patterns range from the larger centers of Lexington and Buena Vista to smaller junction towns and railroad points like Eagle Rock, Iron Gate, and Natural Bridge Station. The map also captures significant recreational and conservation areas such as Douthat State Park and the James River Face Wilderness.