1960 Map of Moundsville

About this map

Moundsville sits as the focal point of this 1960 survey, dominated by industrial and institutional infrastructure along the eastern bank of the Ohio River. The city is notable for housing the State Penitentiary and the Grave Creek Indian Mound Museum, while the nearby Camp Fairchance (Prison Camp) and Prison Farms illustrate the significant footprint of the penal system in Marshall County at this time. Northward, the river valley tightens at The Narrows, where the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and highway infrastructure are squeezed between the river and steep hillsides. This topography forced a dense string of riverfront settlements including McMechen, Glendale, and Benwood. Beyond the industrial valley, the map reveals a dissected landscape of ridges and hollows, such as Waymans Ridge and Blairs Ridge, where small communities like Limestone and Sherrard maintained a separate, rural character centered around country churches and district schools.