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1957 Map of Girta

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Girta
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Burning Springs Oil Field dominates the southern reaches of this mid-century survey, a region where early petroleum development shaped the West Virginia landscape. Numerous Oil Wells are scattered across the hills and valleys, particularly along Oil Rock Run and near the Burning Springs district. This industrial footprint is integrated into a landscape of small rural settlements and essential community structures, including Oil Rock Sch and Owl Hill Sch, which served the families living near the extraction sites.

The winding courses of the Little Kanawha River and Hughes River define the local topography, with several smaller tributaries like Standingstone Creek carving through the terrain. Evidence of localized community life is found in churches and cemeteries tucked away in the hollows, such as the Wesleyan Chapel and Pine Twist Cem. The map illustrates the 1950s transition from early industrial extraction to a more established rural infrastructure in Wirt County and Ritchie County.