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1963 Map of Harman

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Harman
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Levisa Fork winds through a deeply dissected landscape in Buchanan County, defining the early 1960s industrial and social geography of this coal-producing region. The Norfolk and Western railroad tracks trace the river's edge, serving the numerous strip mines and mine dumps that dominate the mountain slopes. This map captures the integration of mining operations into the rural valley communities, where long conveyor systems bridge the distance between mountain pits and the rail lines below.

Settlements like Harman, Big Rock, and Conaway cluster along the narrow valley floors, anchored by local institutions such as Bull Creek Ch and the Home Creek Sch. The map provides significant genealogical value through its documentation of numerous family-named landmarks and cemeteries, including the Ramey Cem and Ratliff Cem, often located on high ground above the active mining sites. Many topographical features like Winding Gap and Hoot Owl Gap mark the traditional mountain passes used before the modern road network expanded.