1909 Map of Midkiff

About this map

The Guyandot River winds its way through the center of this 1907 survey, defining the development patterns of southwestern West Virginia's coal and timber country. Small riverfront settlements like Midkiff and Branchland serve as the primary hubs for a network of isolated homesteads tucked into deep creek valleys. The map shows a transition in naming conventions and postal history, most notably at Brown City, while larger communities such as Griffithsville anchor the eastern ridges. Along the southern bend of the river, rail lines trace the narrow bank near Ferrellsburg and Atenville, providing critical transport through the steep terrain. This area, spanning the borders of Lincoln and Wayne counties, is marked by a maze of family-named hollows and watercourses, including Fourteenmile Creek and Sixmile Creek, which reflect the early settlement geography of the region before the modern highway era.