1992 Map of Mineral

About this map

Hope Furnace stands as a significant industrial landmark within the wooded valleys of Lake Hope State Park, reflecting the iron production history of the Hanging Rock region. This terrain is defined by the winding course of Raccoon Creek and its many tributaries, including Sandy Run and Hewett Fork. The small settlement of Mineral sits at a junction of rail and water, served by the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad which follows the creek beds through the ridges. Extensive public lands, including the Zaleski State Forest and Waterloo Wildlife Area, dominate the landscape, preserving numerous family-named hollows and ridges such as Starrett Ridge and Keeton Hollow. Genealogists will find several rural burial grounds and houses of worship, from Hope Chapel to the Madison Ch Cem, which document the dispersed community life of Vinton and Athens counties in the late twentieth century.