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1924 Map of Mc Dowell

Name: 1924 Topographic Map of Mc Dowell
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1924
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1924

About this map

Jack Mountain and Shenandoah Mountain dominate this 1920s topography, framing a landscape of ridges and deep drainage basins along the West Virginia and Virginia border. In this era, small upland communities supported a network of local institutions, evidenced by the numerous mountain schools such as Laurel Hill School, Lone Oak School, and Mt Hall School. The settlement at Palo Alto sits near the confluence of Spring Run and the South Fork, serving as a focal point for the surrounding hollows.

The distribution of religious and civic life is traced through landmarks like St Paul Church and Wilfong Church, which are found alongside the varied runs and creeks that carve through Bull Pasture Mtn and Stone Mountain. Significant elevations like Reddish Knob and Buffalo Knob provide topographic anchors for the Shenandoah National Forest, where the complex drainage of Brushy Fork and Stony Run illustrates the rugged character of Highland and Pendleton counties.