1948 Map of Kitzmiller

About this map

The Potomac River carves a deep valley along the border of Maryland and West Virginia, serving as the industrial and transportation corridor for the coal mining communities of the mid-20th century. This 1948 survey, photorevised later with purple overlays to show the rising waters of Bloomington Lake, captures the rugged topography of Backbone Mountain and Pheasant Ridge. The local economy is visibly tied to the rails, with the Baltimore and Ohio and Western Maryland railroads following the river's winding path to serve towns like Kitzmiller and Shaw.