1943 Map of Orkney Springs

About this map

North Mountain and Shenandoah Mountain dominate this landscape along the border of West Virginia and Virginia, where early twentieth-century life centered on remote valley settlements and gaps. The map captures the tight-knit network of mountain schools and churches, such as Jenkins Chapel and Bowman School, that served families in the Lost River and Culler Run watersheds. A notable concentration of community landmarks appears around Mathias and Lost City, while the resort culture of the era is evident at Orkney Springs in Virginia. For genealogists and local historians, the sheet is particularly valuable for its documentation of family-named features like Tusing Cem and Halterman Hollow, alongside industrial curiosities such as the Saltpeter site. The terrain dictates a pattern of isolated farms and mountain gaps, including Bull Gap and Dellinger Gap, which historically facilitated movement between these steep ridges.