1962 Map of Julian

About this map

The Little Coal River and its larger counterpart, the Coal River, dictate the movement of people and industry through these steep West Virginia hills. In the early 1960s, the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad corridor followed the narrow river valleys, connecting small coal-country outposts like Julian and Horse Creek Junction. The landscape is a network of named hollows and branches, such as Pigeonroost Branch and Nancy Dolin Branch, which provide the only level ground for homesteads and cemeteries like Pate Cem. At Pinnacle Rock, the railroad pierces the ridge through the Pinnacle Tunnel, illustrating the engineering required to navigate this terrain. Social life is centered on landmarks like McCorkle Sch and the Morning Star Ch, while much of the eastern portion of the sheet is dedicated to the Fork Creek State Public Hunting Area.