1928 Map of Glenville

About this map

The Little Kanawha River snakes through the heart of Gilmer County, anchoring a landscape defined by its dense network of small rural schools and isolated settlements. In this 1920s era, education was decentralized, as evidenced by dozens of local institutions like the De Kalb School, Peachtree School, and Sugar Grove School serving families in the surrounding hollows. The topography is tightly packed with named runs and forks, such as Wolfpen Run and Hardman Fork, which dictated the early road patterns connecting Glenville to outlying communities like Stumptown and Normantown. These winding paths often converged at distinct landmarks like Letter Gap or community centers such as Poplar Tree Church. The map provides a detailed look at the interface between Gilmer and Braxton Counties, showing a period when the river-and-road economy supported numerous small hubs including Cedarville and Sand Fork.