1968 Map of Laurel Fork

About this map

The Blue Ridge crest forms a dramatic physical and political boundary in the late 1960s, separating Carroll and Patrick counties. Along this high ridgeline, the Blue Ridge Parkway winds past numerous overlooks and landmarks, including the Lookout Tower near Groundhog Mtn and the Pilot Mtn Overlook. The landscape is defined by the headwaters of Big Reed Island Creek, which drains north through a network of hollows containing family-named features like Stillhouse Br and Potters Br. Settlement is concentrated in small upland communities such as Laurel Fork and Gladesboro, where country churches and small cemeteries, such as the Stuphin Cem, anchor the social geography. The presence of the Laurel Fork Sch and various tabernacles illustrates a traditional Appalachian community structure remaining intact decades after the parkway's introduction.