Loading map...

1912 Map of Mullens

Name: 1912 Topographic Map of Mullens
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1925
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1925

About this map

The Virginian RR serves as the industrial spine of this coal-country survey, winding through the narrow valleys and across high ridges to connect mountain settlements. At the heart of the terrain, Mullens and Elmore sit at the confluence of the Slab Fork and the Guyandot River, functioning as vital rail hubs for the surrounding mining operations. The map documents the rapid development of early twentieth-century company towns such as Stotesbury, Tams, and Glen White, each tucked into steep hollows where the railroad tracks meet the mine mouths.

Prominent ridges like Guyandot Mountain and Horsepen Ridge dominate the landscape, forcing the human footprint into the creek bottoms. Geologists I.C. White and Frank Sutton documented this region's intricate topography, including numerous gaps like Wolf Gap and Jenny Gap that served as the primary transit points for mountain travelers. From the northern junctions at Lester and Sophia to the southern reaches of Herndon, the map reveals a landscape entirely reshaped by the logistics of extracting timber and coal.