1959 Map of Colebank

About this map

Laurel Mountain and Reno Mountain dominate this mid-century portrait of a highland landscape where the borders of Barbour, Preston, and Tucker Counties converge. The settlement pattern is defined by small, dispersed communities like Colebank and Valley Furnace, each linked by a network of winding mountain roads and trails. This area, largely encompassed by the Monongahela National Forest, shows a rural economy centered on the ridges and hollows, evidenced by the numerous small country schools such as Digman Sch and Pifer Sch, and churches like Shiloh Ch. Drainage follows a complex system of forks, including Licking Creek and Sandy Creek, which carve deep valleys through the heavily wooded terrain. The presence of several Gas Well sites and a prominent pipeline cutting across the slopes indicates the industrial activity that sustained these remote West Virginia communities during the late 1950s.