1899 Map of Charleston

About this map

Charleston and its surrounding river valleys dominate this landscape at a time when West Virginia's coal and timber industries were rapidly expanding via a complex network of railroads and waterways. The Kanawha River serves as the central artery, supported by early infrastructure including Lock Seven and Lock 6, while the Chesapeake and Ohio R. R. and the Kanawha and Michigan Div. track the riverbanks. To the south, smaller communities like Madison and Danville are situated along the Little Coal River, illustrating the era's focus on resource extraction in the hinterlands.