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1920 Map of Coeburn

Name: 1920 Topographic Map of Coeburn
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1924
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1924

About this map

The Clinch River meanders through the rugged coalfields of southwest Virginia during a period of intense industrial expansion. This survey shows the critical intersection of the Norfolk and Western and the Carolina Clinchfield and Ohio railroads, which facilitated the movement of resources from mountain communities like Coeburn and Dante. The landscape is defined by prominent ridges such as Sand Ridge and Bull Ridge, with numerous gaps including Fuller Gap and Austin Gap providing natural passages for travel.

Local life in 1916 is meticulously documented through the placement of rural institutions like Marshall School, Greenwood School, and Cherry Knob School. The map records several smaller settlements and post offices, such as Fink PO and Dwing PO, many of which were central to the community before later 20th-century consolidation. This topography highlights the tight relationship between the river valleys and the rail lines that drove the local economy.