1922 Map of Elk Garden

About this map

Potomac River gorge-lands define this 1922 survey, illustrating the industrial and agricultural landscape spanning the West Virginia and Maryland border. The serpentine river serves as a corridor for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, connecting coal-associated settlements such as Piedmont, Kitzmiller, and Elk Garden. The high elevations of Backbone Mountain and New Creek Mountain are dotted with isolated community landmarks like the Mt. Zion Church and Rehoboth Church, alongside numerous small schoolhouses like Terra Firma School and Empire School. A notable concentration of activity appears at the W. Va. Central Junc., where the rail network branches out to serve the steep-walled valleys. The presence of Dodson P.O. and other rural hamlets like Hartmansville and Laurel Dale indicates a decentralized but persistent settlement pattern typical of the era's mining and timber-driven economy.