2016 Map of Handshoe

About this map

Handshoe and its surrounding hollows in Knott County are defined by a landscape of high ridges and narrow creek beds where local life follows the terrain. Small settlements like Soft Shell, Mousie, and Larkslane are tucked into the valleys of Balls Fork and Rock Fork, connected by a network of winding roads like Ratliff School Rd and Ball Branch School Rd. Genealogy is etched into the hillsides at the Estill Smith Cem, Bolen Cem, and Click Cem, often located near prominent landforms such as Chestnut Mtn or along Bolen Cemetary Rd. The map reveals the deep imprint of the regional coal and timber economy, evidenced by the Pembroke Coal Company Rd and numerous named branches such as Fourmile Branch and Little Firecoal Br. High-elevation features like Scaffd and Lacy Ridge and Poplar Gap provide natural boundaries between the watersheds of the Middle Fork Quicksand Cr and its many tributaries.