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1891 Map of Hazard

Name: 1891 Topographic Map of Hazard
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1891
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1891

About this map

The North Fork Kentucky River and Middle Fork Kentucky River carve deep, winding paths through this part of the Cumberland Plateau, anchoring the development of late nineteenth-century eastern Kentucky. Centered on the seat of Perry County, the town of Hazard appears as a key settlement point long before the region's massive industrial shifts. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of waterways like Troublesome Creek, Buckhorn Creek, and Carr Fork, which served as the primary corridors for early residents.

Genealogists can find numerous small communities and named branches that served as family homesteads, including Crockettsville, Hyden, and Sassafras. The survey captures the area when overland travel relied on these narrow valley floors, with landmarks such as Natlors Rock providing natural orientation points in the heavily dissected terrain. This map documents the foundational settlements of Leslie, Breathitt, and Knott counties during a period of relative isolation.