2016 Map of Matoaka

About this map

Lashmeet and Matoaka anchor this 2016 study of the West Virginia coalfields, where the industrial past is etched into the landscape via the Turkey Gap Slurry Impoundment and the winding Norfolk Southern rail line. The terrain is defined by the sharp ridges of Morgan Ridge and Stovall Ridge, separated by a dense network of watercourses like the Bluestone River and Rich Creek. Small, high-altitude settlements such as Pinoak, Beeson, and Mount Olive are connected by a mix of established roads and utilitarian paths like Old Stap Mine Haul Road and Strip Mine Road. For genealogists, the map preserves the location of family and community resting places, including the Saint Peters Lutheran Cemetery near Kale and the Ross Cemetery near Kegley. The placement of Periwinkle Bottom along the river highlights the specific pocket-valley settlement patterns characteristic of Mercer County.