1951 Map of Guage

About this map

Quicksand Creek winds through this 1950s landscape, serving as the central artery for a series of remote valley settlements in Breathitt and Magoffin counties. Small community hubs like Guage, Rousseau, and Lunah are situated at key junctions where numerous branches and forks, such as Caney Creek and Holley Branch, meet the main waterway. The map reveals a dense network of local genealogy markers, including the Big Caney Ch and several family-named burial grounds like the Roark Cem and Shack Allen Cem. Education in this era was localized, as evidenced by the distribution of the Wolf Creek Sch, Richie Sch, and Keith Sch. The terrain is characterized by intricate drainage patterns with countless named hollows and branches, illustrating how early Appalachian settlement and transport were dictated by the complex creek systems of the Cumberland Plateau.