Loading map...

1965 Map of Oakvale

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Oakvale
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

The East River valley and the high ridgeline of East River Mountain dominate this mid-1960s study of the West Virginia and Virginia borderlands. The corridor of the Norfolk and Western RR facilitates transport through the rugged terrain, passing through the Hales Gap Tunnel and serving settlements like Oakvale and Kellysville. The map details a landscape transition from the established bottomland farms and hamlets of Willowton and Penvir to the dense, protected woodlands of the Jefferson National Forest to the south.

Genealogical interest is found in the numerous rural congregations and burial sites, including Christian Ridge Ch, New Zion Ch, and the Beamer Cem near Wolf Creek. Notable landmarks like the Fish Hatchery and the crossing at First Ford reflect the local economy and traditional mountain navigation, while numerous jeep trails and gaps such as Honaker Gap illustrate how the community negotiated the steep topography of Ragged Mountain.