1894 Map of Natural Bridge

About this map

The James River and its major tributaries carve through the ridges of the Alleghany and Rockbridge regions, defining a late 19th-century landscape of heavy industry and natural landmarks. Iron production is central to the area's economy, evidenced by several prominent furnaces such as Princess Furnace, Callie Furnace, and Long Dale Furnace. These industrial sites are supported by the Long Dale Mines and Victoria Mines, which utilized the network provided by the Chesapeake and Ohio RR and the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad to move materials through the narrow gaps of Warm Spring Mountain and Brushy Mountain.