2011 Map of Oak Level

About this map

Dan River watercourses and rural settlements define this Southside Virginia landscape, where small communities like Oak Level and Danripple are connected by a network of local roads. The river’s path is marked by distinctive navigation points such as Ruddy Bottom Shoals and the historical site of News Ferry. A series of water management structures, including the West Temple and East Temple Dam forming Big Lake, suggest a transition from purely natural flow to managed hydrographic resources for local utility. Genealogists will find significant value in the mapped locations of Oak Level Cemetery, Union Cemetery, and Crossroads Cemetery, which anchor the various crossroad settlements. From the northern reach of Five Oaks Pond to the southern drainage of Lawsons Creek, the map illustrates a traditional Piedmont agricultural and residential pattern established long before modern development altered the region.