1911 Map of Cumberland

About this map

The National Road cuts across the northern edge of this landscape, marking the historic artery of westward expansion through Muskingum and Guernsey counties. This 1911 survey illustrates a region where the rural schoolhouse system was at its peak, dotted with descriptively named institutions like the Rough and Ready School and the Convict School. The influence of the coal industry is evident in settlements such as Klondyke and Coal Ridge, while the village of Cumberland serves as a central hub at the junction of the Baltimore and Ohio RR. The intricate network of ridges and valley floors is defined by the Wills Creek drainage and its numerous forks, such as Dyes Fork and Bluebell Creek. This topography necessitated a dense infrastructure of local roads connecting small hamlets like Hoskinsville and Rix Mills, providing a detailed look at the social and economic geography of southeastern Ohio before the modernization of the highway system.