1962 Map of Nestlow

About this map

Nestlow and the surrounding narrow valleys of Wayne, Cabell, and Lincoln counties are defined by a dense network of family-named hollows and cemeteries. This 1962 survey, updated in the 1970s, documents a landscape where traditional Appalachian settlements like Gilkerson and Girard sit alongside active resource extraction, evidenced by numerous gas wells and the Tipple Mine in the Stonewall district. The social fabric of the era is anchored by local institutions such as Beech Fork School and Wolfpen Church, while the complex topography is mapped through distinctive landmarks like Sweet Potato Knob and Buzzard Roost Knob. The prevalence of small family burial grounds, including the Crockett and Bradshaw cemeteries, provides a detailed record for genealogists studying the ridge-and-hollow communities of the Laurel Hill region before modern development altered these rural corridors.