1897 Map of London

About this map

The Rockcastle River snakes through a deeply dissected landscape in this late nineteenth-century survey, defining the rugged terrain between Mt. Vernon and London. This era is marked by the critical influence of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, specifically its Knoxville Branch, which dictated the growth of mountain settlements like Livingston, Wildie, and Hazlepatch. The map reveals a transition from traditional river-bound life to a rail-dependent economy, with small communities such as Gum Sulphur and Maretburg clustered along the tracks. High points like Brushy Mtn. and Sutton Knob overlook a dense network of watercourses, including Roundstone Cr. and Buck Cr., illustrating the complex drainage patterns that shaped local travel and early homesteading before modern highways altered the Kentucky interior.