1967 Map of Crumpler

About this map

Crumpler and the surrounding coal camps of McDowell, Wyoming, and Mercer Counties define this 1967 survey, showing the intensive industrial landscape of the West Virginia southern coalfields. The terrain is dominated by the ridges of Flat Top Mountain and Barkers Ridge, where the extraction economy is evident through numerous Strip Mines, Mine Dumps, and a Tipple near Arista. This era of the late 1960s captures the reliance on the Norfolk and Western railway lines that wind through narrow valleys, connecting settlements like Ashland, McComas, and Weyanoke. Social life is anchored by local landmarks such as Beartown Ch and Prosperity Sch, while the Pilot Knob Lookout Tower stands as a sentinel over the heavily modified landscape. The map provides a detailed view of the infrastructure supporting these mountain communities, from the intricate network of Mine portals to the branching creek beds of North Fork Elkhorn Creek and Crane Creek.