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1938 Map of Mendota

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Mendota
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Mendota sits as a central hub in this Virginia landscape, where the North Fork Holston River snakes through the valley floor. The Southern Ry follows the river's northern bank, linking the settlement to industrial centers while passing local landmarks like the Barker Mill and the Gaging Station. This 1938 survey, updated with aerial data from 1968, illustrates a deeply etched topography defined by Clinch Mountain and Poor Valley.

Genealogists will find a wealth of family history in the many small burying grounds and rural meeting houses, such as Barkers Chapel, Willow Branch Ch, and the Livingston Creek Ch. The map records an era of river-based navigation and transport, preserved in the names of numerous crossings like McFadden Ford and Fleenor Mill Ford. Further south, the landscape shifts toward more dispersed communities such as Shelleys and Valley Institute, while the Lookout Tower atop the mountain heights stands watch over the surrounding ridges.