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1887 Map of Lewisburg

Name: 1887 Topographic Map of Lewisburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1887
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1887

About this map

Lewisburg and the winding Greenbrier River anchor this late-nineteenth-century study of the Appalachian borderlands between West Virginia and Virginia. The landscape is defined by the heavy infrastructure of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, which pierces the continental divide through massive engineering feats like the Allegheny Tunnel, Lewis Tunnel, and Mud Tunnel. This rail corridor facilitated the growth of resort culture and industry, connecting the famous waters of White Sulphur Springs, Sweet Spring, and Sweet Chalybeate Spring to the outside world.

Beyond the tracks, the map details a rural economy centered on small post offices and local landmarks. Settlements such as Frankford, Ronceverte, and Gap Mills are shown alongside family-named features like Van Staverns Mill and Williamsburg. The intricate topography of Alleghany Mountain and Peters Mountain illustrates the challenging terrain that early surveyors like Morris Bien navigated to establish this boundary line.