1923 Map of Orkney Springs

About this map

Lost River flows through a series of parallel ridges in Hardy County, West Virginia, carving a valley between South Branch Mountain and Lost River Mountain. In the early 1920s, this landscape was defined by a dense network of mountain-side schoolhouses and country churches serving dispersed rural communities. Settlements like Mathias, Lost City, and Basore act as focal points within the George Washington National Forest, while the presence of the Lumber RR along the Moorefield River in the northwest corner highlights the importance of the timber industry to the local economy. The mapping of family-named features such as Halterman School, Strawderman School, and Jenkins Chapel provides a high level of genealogical detail, showing the specific locations of community centers in the Appalachian highlands along the West Virginia Virginia border.