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1907 Map of Midkiff

Name: 1907 Topographic Map of Midkiff
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The Guyandotte River winds through the heart of this Appalachian landscape, serving as the primary corridor for settlement and transit at the start of the 20th century. Parallel to the water, the Chesapeake and Ohio River RR links riverfront communities like Branchland, Midkiff, and Ranger. The map reveals a highly dispersed settlement pattern, where small post offices and family-named hamlets like Laverne PO Brown City and Palermo are tucked into the narrow hollows of the Mud River and its myriad tributaries.

Further inland, the terrain is defined by prominent high points such as Stowers Knob and Cove Knob, with roads following the natural contours of the ridge lines and creek bottoms. This detailed survey captures the era before significant modern development, showing the proximity of early logging or agricultural outposts like Fourteen and Sanger to the central river-and-rail artery that powered the local economy.