1917 Map of Hurley

About this map

Levisa Fork cuts a deep, winding path through the borderlands of Pike County and Buchanan County, defining the settlement patterns of this central Appalachian landscape. Surveyed just before the late 1910s, the map reveals a remote geography of hollows and ridges where life centered on small post offices and mountain schools. Rural commerce is anchored by hubs like Pawpaw PO and Kelsa PO, while the presence of Middle Elk Sta suggests the early rail infrastructure penetrating the valleys. The density of educational sites, such as Bull Creek School, Conoway School, and Upper Elk School, provides a valuable record of early 20th-century community locations. Notable terrain features like Sulphur Knob and Hylton Knob rise above a complex network of branches and forks, including Johns Creek and Slate Creek, which dictated the routes of the era's primitive roads.