Loading map...

1899 Map of Charleston

Name: 1899 Topographic Map of Charleston
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1907
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1907

About this map

Charleston and its surrounding coalfields and river valleys are documented here during a period of rapid industrial growth at the end of the 19th century. The confluence of the Elk River and Kanawha River serves as the focal point, where the Kanawha & Michigan R.R. and Chesapeake and Ohio R.R. lines facilitate the movement of coal from sites like Graham Mines and the Winifrede area. This map reveals a landscape defined by its waterways, showing several early river navigation aids including Lock Seven and Lock 6.

To the south, the Coal River and Little Coal River wind through narrow valleys, connecting timber and mining outposts such as Peytona and Madison. Small settlements like Garnet, Brownstown, and Spring Hill are shown along the rail corridors, illustrating the early footprint of Kanawha and Boone counties. The inclusion of Moore Ferry underscores the reliance on traditional river crossings even as the railroad network expanded.