1931 Map of Madison

About this map

Madison and Danville serve as the central hubs of this 1930s landscape, positioned where the Pond Fork and Spruce Fork converge to form the Little Coal River. The region's development is closely tied to the winding path of the Chesapeake and Ohio RR, which follows the river valleys through steep terrain marked by Brushy Knob and Workman Knob. This era of West Virginia's history is reflected in the dense network of rural infrastructure, including numerous one-room schoolhouses like Sugartree Bark Sch and Slabtown Sch, and small religious centers such as Pine Grove Ch. The map details a period when timber and coal interests were shaping the expansion of small settlements like Julian, Morrisvale, and Sumerco. The geography is defined by a intricate system of hollows and branches, such as Pigeonroost Fork and Lick Creek, which dictated the location of family homesteads and the early road network before modern highway expansion.