1949 Map of Kempton

About this map

Backbone Mountain anchors this 1949 topographic study of the high Appalachian plateau where the Maryland and West Virginia border follows the winding course of the Potomac River. The landscape is defined by the early industrial and transit corridor of the Western Maryland railroad, which served the coal and timber interests of the region. Small mountain communities like Kempton and Henry are situated along the rail line, revealing the settlement patterns of the late 1940s before modern highway expansion. Of particular significance to surveyors and historians is the Fairfax Stone, a critical landmark for the Potomac's headwaters and the historic boundary between the two states. The presence of the Red Oak Sch and numerous small watercourses like Chestnut Ridge Run and Laurel Run indicates a dispersed but established rural population living within the proximity of the Monongahela National Forest.