1959 Map of Fork Ridge

About this map

Coal-country commerce and rugged terrain define this borderland at the close of the 1950s, where the L & N RR and Southern railroads snake through deep valleys to service the mining operations of the Log Mountains. The settlement at Fork Ridge serves as a central hub for the local labor force, supported by the Fork Ridge Sch and nearby religious centers like Richardson Chapel. The map reveals a landscape heavily shaped by industry, with numerous tipple sites and strip mines dotting the spurs of the Mingo Mountains. Further south, the terrain transitions into the agricultural clearings of Poor Valley, where family names are preserved at the Yoakum Cem and Sharp Cem. This survey documents a critical moment in the Appalachian economy, balancing intensive resource extraction around Bryson with the established rural life along Tackett Creek.