1894 Map of Lexington

About this map

Lexington and Buena Vista serve as the primary hubs in this late 19th-century survey of the Virginia highlands, where the James River carves through the Blue Ridge. The geography is defined by a reliance on river crossings and nascent rail lines, including the Shenandoah Valley R.R. and the Balto. & Ohio R.R.. Local industry and early commerce are evident through labels such as Buffalo Forge and Chalk Mine Mt., while the transition from river to rail is captured at Echols Ferry (Glasgow) and Rope Ferry (Snowden P.O.). The map documents numerous mountain gaps and peaks, including Petites Gap and Whites Gap, which dictated the path of early roads and settlements like Rockbridge Baths and Spottswood. This record preserves a landscape of small post offices and mountain churches, such as Cornerstone Ch., before the consolidation of rural communities.