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1968 Map of Matoaka

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Matoaka
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Norfolk And Western railroad winds through the coal-bearing valleys of Mercer County, linking the active mining hubs of Matoaka and Wenonah. This late-1960s landscape is defined by the industrial footprint of numerous Strip Mines, tipples, and mine dumps that dot the ridges around Hiawatha and Springton. Between these industrial zones, small rural communities persist along the watercourses, including Lashmeet and Beeson, where local landmarks like Beeson Chapel and Rich Creek Ch anchored the social life of the region.

The Bluestone River dominates the southeastern quadrant, flowing past the recreational site at Lake Shawnee before reaching Kegley. The topography transitions from the high ground of Camp Creek State Forest in the north to the distinctive elevations of Black Oak Mountain in the south. The mapping of Old State Road and various cemeteries provides valuable reference points for those tracing family history in these mountain settlements during the height of the mid-century mining era.