2014 Map of Gary

About this map

The Tug Fork river valley serves as the primary corridor for settlement in this part of McDowell County, anchoring communities like Gary and Thorpe. The landscape is defined by a dense network of mountain hollows and narrow creek bottoms, where residential pockets such as Elbert, Filbert, and Ream are tucked between steep ridgelines. To the south, the terrain leads toward the state line between West Virginia and Virginia, marked by the settlements of Cucumber and Newhall. This 2014 survey documents the complex geography of the Appalachian coalfields, where roads like Coney Island-Filbert Rd and Skygusty wind through the hills to connect small towns and family-named hollows. Notable landmarks like Maxwell Gap and numerous drainages, including Jacobs Fork and Sandlick Cr, illustrate the intricate drainage patterns that have historically shaped the region's transport and mining infrastructure.