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1956 Map of Clarksburg

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Clarksburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Ohio River valley anchors this mid-century view of the Appalachian plateau, serving as the border between Ohio and West Virginia. This region is defined by its industrial and transport arteries, notably the Baltimore and Ohio RR and the Pennsylvania RR, which follow the winding river valleys to connect major hubs like Zanesville and Parkersburg. The rugged landscape is punctuated by numerous ridges such as Fork Ridge and Laurel Ridge, illustrating the difficult terrain that dictated early settlement patterns and the placement of mountain roads like U S 50.

Eastern sections of the map highlight the concentrated growth around Clarksburg and Fairmont, where the Monongahela River and Tygart River converge. Conservation and recreation areas are well-established by this era, visible in the Wayne National Forest and the Tygart Lake State Park. Smaller settlements such as Philippi, Weston, and Moundsville provide essential reference points for genealogists tracing family roots in the coal and river towns of the 1950s and 1960s.