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1958 Map of Charleston West

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Charleston West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Kanawha River corridor serves as the industrial and residential heart of this late 1950s survey, anchoring the cities of Charleston, South Charleston, and Dunbar. Heavy infrastructure is concentrated along the northern banks, including the sprawling Naval Ordnance Plant and the rail lines of the New York Central and Chesapeake and Ohio. The terrain transitions sharply from the urbanized river valley to the steep, wooded ridges of the south, where the Kanawha State Forest preserves the natural landscape.

Evidence of local development and community life is found in the numerous neighborhood schools like Roxalana Sch and Robina Sch, as well as specialized landmarks such as the Hill Top Airport and the Radio Towers. Small settlements like Loudendale and Ruth are connected by winding roads through Dutch Hollow and Davis Creek, while numerous gas wells and salt wells indicate the extractive industry that underpinned the regional economy during this era.