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1955 Map of Keokee

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Keokee
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The Poor Valley and the steep slopes of Little Black Mountain define this mid-century view of the coal and timber country along the Kentucky-Virginia border. This 1955 survey, updated in 1969, reveals a landscape of industrial extraction and tight-knit mountain communities. The rail-dependent economy of the era is evident where the Louisville and Nashville and Southern railroads converge near Keokee, a hub for local labor and transport.

Remote settlements like Darnell Town, Rawhide, and Calvin are tucked into the hollows, often centered around institutions like the Robbins Chapel School or Hoover Chapel. The map documents a rugged topography where transport was historically restricted to gaps such as Darty Gap and Trace Gap. Landmarks like the Olinger Lookout Tower watch over the Jefferson National Forest, while the winding course of The Lonesome Trail follows the base of Stone Mountain, connecting the valley floors between Dryden and Purcell.