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1958 Map of Nora

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Nora
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

The Clinchfield RR carves a winding path through the deep valleys of Dickenson and Russell Counties, anchoring the coal-country settlements of Nora, Wakenva, and Trammel. In the late 1950s, this landscape was defined by its intensive mining operations and the logistical feats of the railroad, evidenced by the Buffalo Tunnel and Martin Tunnel. The McClure River and its numerous tributaries, including Roaring Fork and Lick Creek, dictate the movement of local traffic along routes like Va 83.

Genealogists will find a wealth of family history preserved in the numerous upland burial grounds, such as Sutherland Cem, Counts Cem, and Rasnick Cem, which are often located on the high shoulders of Ball Ridge and Skeens Ridge. Community life centers on small institutions like Ervinton High Sch and Counts Chapel, while the presence of several Strip mines near Sandy Ridge indicates the industrial economy that sustained these Appalachian hollows.