1917 Map of Cowen

About this map

Camden on Gauley and Allingdale serve as central nodes for the timber and rail economy of the central West Virginia highlands during this early 20th-century survey. The landscape is defined by the winding Gauley River and its many tributaries, supporting a dense network of specialized industry including Gauley Mills and various operations along the Baltimore and Ohio RR. The map illustrates a rural society organized around small schoolhouses and creek-side settlements, such as Craigsville and Wainville.