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1957 Map of Charleston East

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Charleston East
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The State Capitol stands as a focal point along the Kanawha River in this detailed survey of West Virginia's capital region. The 1950s urban landscape is dominated by riverfront development and a dense transportation network, including the Kanawha Boulevard and multiple rail lines like the Baltimore and Ohio and New York Central. Educational and civic landmarks are prominent, from Morris Harvey College and Laidley Field to the Kanawha Airport perched on the hills to the north.

Moving south along the river, industrial and residential corridors emerge in Kanawha City and Dupont City, while the terrain quickly shifts into the steep hollows of Cabin Creek and the Kanawha State Forest. The map documents numerous gas wells tucked into these ridges, illustrating the proximity of the era's energy extraction to the growing city. Local history is preserved in sites like Levi Ch and the Skyline Raceway, capturing a moment before the further expansion of the Charleston Interchange.