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2013 Map of Louellen

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Louellen
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

The Poor Fork Cumberland River carves a narrow corridor through this part of the Appalachian coalfields, where the settlement pattern follows the valley floors and narrow hollows. In the southern reach, a dense string of communities including Louellen, Black Bottom, Closplint, and Clover-Darby reflects the industrial heritage of Harlan County. The terrain is defined by steep ridges like Big Fork Ridge and Hurricane Gap Mountain, separated by gaps that historically dictated travel and transport, such as Hurricane Gap and Grassy Gap.

Genealogists and local historians will find a high density of family burial grounds, including Riddle Cem, Smith Cem, Cornett Cem, and Kelly Cem, often located on hillsides overlooking the river or its many tributaries. The map documents numerous named hollows like Salad Hollow, Boggs Hollow, and Meadow Hollow, providing a clear view of the complex topography and localized place names that define this corner of Kentucky.