Loading map...

1907 Map of Kingwood

Name: 1907 Topographic Map of Kingwood
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1907
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1907

About this map

The Cheat River winds through the center of this Preston County landscape, dictating the development of early transportation networks. During this era, the river was bridged by vital crossings such as Fairfax Ferry, Trowbridge Ferry, and the Pleasant Valley Ford. These points connected the rugged uplands to major thoroughfares like the Northwestern Virginia Turnpike and the Morgantown and Brandonville Turnpike, which funneled traffic through the county seat at Kingwood.

Industrial and social life centers on the Baltimore and Ohio RR as it snakes through the mountains past Rowlesburg and Tunnelton. Local history is preserved in the placement of rural institutions such as the Buffalo Schoolhouse, Redhill Church, and Oakgrove Church. The map also captures the distinct agricultural and timber pockets of Dunkard Bottom and the high plateaus near Terra Alta, before modern highway expansions altered these historic turnpike routes.