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1961 Map of Nelsonville

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Nelsonville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Nelsonville serves as the industrial and civic heart of this landscape, where the Hocking River valley meets the coal-rich ridges of the Wayne National Forest. The map documents a geography defined by extraction and manufacturing, from the numerous strip mines dotting the hillsides to the brick kilns and tipple operations that supported the local economy. Small company towns and settlements like Buchtel, Orbiston, and Kimberly follow the winding paths of Monday Creek and Snow Fork, connected by the Conrail rail lines that moved the region's resources.

Evidence of established community life is visible in the scattered rural landmarks, including Pilgrims Rest Ch and several family or township burial grounds such as Dew Cem and Whitmore Cem. The presence of Mt St Marys Hospital and the Drive-in Theater near Doanville illustrates the mid-century development of the Athens County corridor during a period of transition between traditional mining and modern infrastructure.