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1927 Map of Mullens

Name: 1927 Topographic Map of Mullens
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1927
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1927

About this map

The Virginian railroad winds through the deep valleys of Wyoming and Raleigh counties in this 1927 edition, following the course of the Guyandot River and its major tributaries. This area represents the heart of the southern West Virginia coalfields during their industrial peak, with numerous company towns and settlements tightly packed along the watercourses. The map documents a complex network of rail spurs serving coal camps such as Tams, Stotesbury, McAlpin, and Helen.

Beyond the industrial corridors, the landscape is defined by massive ridges like Guyandot Mountain and Barkers Ridge, where local life centered around small mountain gaps and rural institutions. Significant landmarks for genealogists include the Taliaferro School, Bowers School, and White Oak School. The intricate topographic detail reveals how the narrow bottomlands dictated the dense linear development of communities like Mullens, Itmann, and Elmore at the confluence of Slab Fork and the main river.