1922 Map of Keyser

About this map

Keyser and Romney anchor this topographic portrait of the Potomac highlands during the transition into the early twentieth century. The terrain is defined by the sharp, parallel ridges of Knobly Mountain and Mill Creek Mountain, which forced settlement and transport into narrow corridors like the valley of Patterson Creek. This landscape supported a dense network of rural infrastructure, including a remarkable concentration of one-room schools such as Red Star School, Pancake School, and Beaver Run School. Along the North Branch Potomac River, industrial activity is evidenced by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad passing through McCool and Dawson. The map also captures several vital community centers of the era, from the milling hub at Reeses Mill to the ecclesiastical sites of Trinity Church and Bethesda Church.