1926 Map of Littleton

About this map

Fishing Creek and the North Fork Pennsylvania Creek define the rugged topography of Wetzel County and the surrounding tri-state borderlands in the mid-1920s. This survey, revised by E.I. Ireland, illustrates a landscape where life revolved around a dense network of mountain ridge schools and valley-floor settlements. Larger centers like Littleton, Pine Grove, and Smithfield appear alongside dozens of isolated rural institutions such as the Dewey School, Green Valley School, and the Mt Morris Church. The map captures the complex interaction between the steep terrain and human development, showing how roads and settlements follow narrow runs like Franklin Fork and Sugar Run. From the German Catholic community of Saint Joseph to the cross-border community of Board Tree, the map documents a distinct Appalachian social geography of rural schools and chapels serving a dispersed population before the major road improvements of the mid-twentieth century.