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1919 Map of Elk Garden

Name: 1919 Topographic Map of Elk Garden
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1919
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1919

About this map

The Potomac River carves a winding path along the state line in this survey of Mineral and Grant Counties, where the mountain topography dictated the growth of rail-dependent settlements. The Western Maryland Railway and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad track the river's edge, serving industrial outposts like Piedmont, Beryl, and Potomac Manor. This era shows a dense network of rural infrastructure, including numerous one-room schoolhouses such as the Terra Firma School, Empire School, and Hampshire School that once dotted the highlands.

Industrial sidings and small villages like Elk Garden and Hartmonsville are interspersed with family-named landmarks and places of worship including Rehoboth Church and Mt Pisgah Church. The terrain is dominated by prominent ridges such as New Creek Mountain and Kittlelick Ridge, creating a landscape where community life was tightly concentrated in the valleys and along the developing rail corridors.