1897 Map of London

About this map

The Rockcastle River snakes through the center of this terrain, carving a deep path through the Cumberland Plateau of southeastern Kentucky. This late-nineteenth-century survey by E.C. Barnard illustrates a region defined by its rugged topography and the expansion of the Louisville and Nashville R. R.. The railway's presence is a central theme, with the Knoxville Branch connecting established mountain hubs like Mt. Vernon and London to smaller whistle-stops such as Maretburg and Livingston. Local industry and rural life are visible in the proximity of settlements to water sources like Horse Lick Cr. and Raccoon Cr.. High points like Brushy Mtn. and Sutton Knob dominate the landscape, while the intricate network of creeks illustrates the traditional drainage patterns that dictated early road and settlement placement before modern highway development.