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1891 Map of Lewisburg

Name: 1891 Topographic Map of Lewisburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1901
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1901

About this map

Lewisburg and the surrounding Allegheny highlands are captured here in the late 19th century, during a period of burgeoning rail travel and mineral spring tourism. The map traces the critical route of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad as it pierces the continental divide through the Alleghany Tunnel and Lewis Tunnel. This engineering feat connected the resort culture of White Sulphur Springs and Sweet Chalybeate Spring to the broader Mid-Atlantic markets.

Beyond the rails, the landscape is dotted with small-scale industry and rural outposts, from Stack Mines to Van Staverns Mill on Second Creek. The border between West Virginia and Virginia follows the crests of Alleghany Mountain and Peters Mountain, while established settlements like Gap Mills and Frankford anchor the valleys. This survey documents the transition from a stagecoach-era network, signified by the Half Way House, to a modern rail economy.