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1936 Map of Charleston

Name: 1936 Topographic Map of Charleston
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1936
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1936

About this map

The confluence of the Elk River and the Kanawha River anchors this detailed study of West Virginia’s capital region. By the mid-1930s, industrial and civic development had transformed the riverbanks, seen here in the dense grid of Charleston and the nearby U S Naval Reservation. The landscape is defined by the rigid topography of the surrounding hills, where dozens of one-room schoolhouses like Roxalana Sch and Tyler Sch served the hollows and ridge-top communities.

Transportation networks are a primary focus, showing the New York Central and Chesapeake and Ohio railroads following the river benches to serve the growing coal and chemical centers. From the developed valley floors of South Charleston and Dunbar to the small family-named landmarks like Holmes Knob, the map illustrates the transition from a traditional Appalachian landscape to a modern industrial hub.