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1965 Map of Fosters Falls

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Fosters Falls
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

The New River carves a deep, serpentine path through the heart of this Wythe County landscape, dictating the placement of both industry and transit in the mid-1960s. Along its banks, the Norfolk and Western railroad follows the water's curve, serving settlements like Fosters Falls, Barren Springs, and Bertha. The map reveals a legacy of industrial activity tied to the land's mineral wealth, specifically at Boom Furnace and several gravel pits and quarries that dot the terrain.

Upland from the river, the landscape transitions into the steep ridges of Fosters Falls Mountain and Hematite Mountain. These heights are home to long-established community anchors such as Johnson Chapel, Draper Valley Ch, and Oglesby Cem. The arrival of Interstate 81 in the northern portion of the quadrangle marks a modern shift in the region's transportation network, contrasting with the older rural crossroads at Reed Junction and Lone Ash.