1924 Map of Mc Dowell

About this map

Shenandoah National Forest dominates the high-elevation terrain along the border of West Virginia and Virginia in this early 1920s topography. The landscape is defined by the sharp ridges of the Shenandoah Mountains and Pasture Mtn, where remote settlements and mountain communities rely on a network of small schools and churches. Educational life is anchored by locations like Laurel Hill School, Lone Oak School, and Mt Hull School, which are scattered among the hollows of Thorn Creek and Blackthorn Creek. This survey by E.L. Ireland captures the era before major modern development, showing a geography where prominent peaks such as Reddish Knob and Buffalo Knob served as primary landmarks. The presence of numerous institutions like St Paul Church and Wilfong Church suggests a well-distributed rural population living amidst the complex drainage patterns of Whitethorn Creek and Brushy Fork.