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1956 Map of Cumberland

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Cumberland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

The Potomac River winds through the heart of the Allegheny Mountains, defining the complex border between Maryland and West Virginia in this mid-century survey. Transportation corridors dominate the landscape, following the river valleys and mountain gaps that have historically connected the interior to the coast. The Baltimore & Ohio RR and the Western Maryland RR parallel the water, while the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal traces the northern bank of the Potomac toward Cumberland.

Major industrial and regional hubs like Morgantown and Winchester anchor the map's western and eastern edges, respectively. Between them lies a region of heavy timber and water management, evidenced by the Monongahela National Forest and the Savage River State Forest. The creation of the Stony River Reservoir and Mount Storm Lake speaks to the era's focus on power and water infrastructure in the Appalachian highlands.