Loading map...

1953 Map of Fallsburg

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Fallsburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

The Big Sandy River forms a winding border between Kentucky and West Virginia in this mid-century survey, defining the industrial and social character of the region. The landscape is marked by a significant concentration of extractive industry, specifically numerous Oil fields that pepper the valleys and ridges between Fallsburg and Yatesville. These resources are supported by the strategic presence of the Norfolk and Western and Chesapeake and Ohio railroads, which track the riverbanks to move goods through the Appalachian foothills.

Local life at this time centered around a network of country schools and churches, such as Trinity Sch and Myrtle Chapel. Notable landmarks like the Poorhouse near Stringtown and family-named hollows like Grannyham Hollow or Fannin Hollow reflect a deeply rooted rural genealogy. The map captures the area just as the post-war energy economy was maturing, showing the proximity of small settlements like Bolts and Hewlet to the larger rail and river corridors.