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1951 Map of Moneta

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Moneta
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

Roanoke River winds through a landscape of deep ridges and steep valleys in this 1951 field-checked survey of the Piedmont region. The map documents a rural economy still shaped by its watercourses and early rail infrastructure, with the Virginian railroad cutting through the terrain via a tunnel near Goodview. This era precedes the full inundation of the Smith Mountain Lake area, showing the river in its natural, meandering channel before the landscape was radically altered by hydroelectric projects.

Settlement patterns are centered around country crossroads and community institutions like Promised Land Ch and Western Light Sch. Family history is preserved through numerous small burial grounds such as the Minter Cem and Robertson Cem. Prominent landmarks include the Smith Mtn Lookout Tower and the historic Davis Mill on Goose Creek, providing a detailed look at the infrastructure of Bedford and Franklin Counties before mid-century modernization.