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1957 Map of Charleston East

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Charleston East
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The State Capitol stands prominently along the north bank of the Kanawha River in this late-1950s survey of West Virginia's seat of government. This map captures a pivotal era of infrastructure development, featuring the West Virginia Turnpike (Toll Road) as it curves south through South Malden and Marmet. Urban expansion is evident in the residential clusters of Kanawha City and Dupont City, while institutional landmarks like Morris Harvey College, Memorial Hospital, and the Hillcrest Sanitarium anchor the community's mid-century footprint.

Industrial and transit networks define the valley, with the New York Central Railroad and Chesapeake and Ohio Railway flanking the riverbanks. Beyond the city limits, the landscape transitions into the steep hollows of Malden and Loudon, where family and community history is preserved in places like Pointlick Ch and the Spring Hill Cemetery. The topographic detail highlights the sharp contrast between the developed river terrace and the high ridges of Maiden Mountain and Snow Hill.