1963 Map of Harman

About this map

The Levisa Fork carves a deep path through the coal-bearing mountains of Buchanan County, Virginia, where the Norfolk and Western railroad tracks follow the river's winding contours. In the early 1960s, this area was a busy corridor of resource extraction and small communities, from the industrial activity at Harman Junction and Weller to the scattered homes at Toonerville and Big Rock. The map illustrates a landscape defined by sharp ridges and numerous hollows, where life centered on the narrow valley floors and gaps like Conaway Gap and Bull Gap. Local infrastructure is well-documented, showing small institutions like the Poplar Creek Church and the Cedar Grove School that served these hollows. Evidence of the region's primary industry is visible in the numerous Strip Mine locations and mine dumps that mark the hillsides above Harman and Maxie, while family names are preserved in locations such as the Ramey Cemetery and Owens Cemetery.