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1967 Map of Lester

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Lester
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Guyandotte Mountain and the surrounding ridges of Raleigh County define this landscape of intensive coal extraction during the late 1960s and mid-1970s. The map illustrates a complex network of strip mines and mine dumps that dominate the terrain between Slab Fork and Stotesbury. The industrial character of the region is further evidenced by the extensive reach of the Norfolk and Western and Chesapeake and Ohio railroads, which thread through narrow valleys to serve coal camps and towns like Tams, Helen, and Eastgulf.

Local genealogy and community life are grounded in landmarks such as Akers Ch near Maple Meadow and Farley Hill Ch to the east. The map also records residential clusters at Sophia and Glen White, providing a detailed view of the settlement patterns that emerged alongside the mining industry in the Winding Gulf watershed before modern reclamation and consolidation changed the face of the West Virginia coalfields.