1996 Map of Charleston West

About this map

The confluence of the Kanawha River and Elk River anchors this 1990s industrial and urban landscape, where the state capital’s West Side and East Side neighborhoods meet. The map reveals the intense river-based industry of South Charleston and Dunbar, featuring major facilities on Blaine Island and transport corridors like Conrail. In contrast to the heavy development near Mac Corkle Ave, the southern portion of the sheet transitions into the dense, ridged terrain of Loudon Ridge and the Kanawha State Forest. This geographical divide illustrates the region's historic expansion, moving from riverbank manufacturing into the narrow hollows of Davis Creek. Numerous educational institutions, such as Watts Sch and Technical High Sch, alongside spiritual centers like St Anthonys Sch, document the mid-century community infrastructure that remained vital as the century drew to a close.