2014 Map of Old Fields

About this map

Purgitsville and the surrounding valley along the South Branch Potomac River are defined by the convergence of several county lines, including the borders of Hampshire, Hardy, Grant, and Mineral counties. The terrain is dominated by the parallel ridges of Patterson Creek Mtn and Mill Creek Mtn, which frame the agricultural bottomlands near Old Fields. A significant geological feature is The Trough, a dramatic gorge where the river carves through the mountains south of McNeill. Numerous named springs, such as McNeil Spring and Welton Spring, indicate the importance of water sources to the early farms and homesteads in these narrow valleys. Genealogists can locate several local burial grounds, including Old Pine Cem, Green Hill Cem, and Bethel Cem, which sit alongside the rural roads that wind through gaps like Reynolds Gap.