1906 Map of Holbrook

About this map

Auburn and Coxs Mills serve as central nodes for the dissected plateau of central West Virginia during the early 1900s. The landscape is defined by the winding drainages of the South Fork Hughes River and the North Fork Hughes River, where small settlements like Holbrook and Summers were established at critical stream junctions. The map documents the historic transport artery of the Parkersburg and Staunton Pike as it cuts through the southern portion of the quadrangle near Burnt House, illustrating how early overland routes followed the contours of the ridge-and-valley topography. Numerous family-named landmarks and runs, such as Pritchard Run, Hardmans Fork, and Jessie Run, reveal a pattern of rural homesteading and local industry before the widespread development of the modern highway system. This 1903-1904 survey also clearly delineates the boundaries where Ritchie, Gilmer, and Doddridge counties meet.