1891 Map of Cumberland Gap

About this map

Cumberland River and Powell River define the hydraulic and social landscape of this tri-state region during the late nineteenth century. Surveyed between 1882 and 1886, the map records the rugged topography where Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee converge. At the center of this convergence is the Cumberland Gap, a vital mountain pass overseen by Pinnacle peak. The settlement pattern follows the river valleys and mountain breaks, from the established seat at Barboursville to smaller nodes like Flat Lick and Calloway.