1923 Map of Mingo

About this map

The Lumber RR winds through the high ridges of the West Virginia mountains, tracing the rugged topography of the Elk River and Slaty Fork during a period of heavy timber extraction. This 1923 survey reveals a landscape organized around isolated hollows and high knobs, where small settlements like Mingo and Upper Mingo served as local hubs. The map is particularly detailed regarding rural infrastructure, documenting over a dozen schoolhouses including Swacker School, Hannah School, and Crooked Fork School. These community centers, alongside houses of worship like Marys Chapel and Poages Chapel, illustrate the social fabric of the Allegheny Highlands before modern road networks consolidated these mountain enclaves. Along the Tygart Valley River and its various forks, the map captures the transition from highland forests to the more settled Little Levels region near Edrey and Onoto.