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1960 Map of Paden City

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Paden City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Ohio River dominates this mid-century landscape, acting as a busy industrial corridor between West Virginia and Ohio. Along the eastern bank, Paden City and Sistersville are established hubs connected by the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, which follows the river's curve past prominent features like Paden Island and Williamson Island. The mapping of fence and field lines via 1950s aerial photography provides a rare look at the division of rural upland parcels between the river and Middle Island Creek.

Away from the water, the terrain is defined by family-named landmarks and small religious centers like Smith Ridge Chapel and Paden Fork Chapel. The interior reveals a network of ridges and hollows, such as Narrows Ridge and Laney Hollow, where numerous oil wells are plotted across the Lincoln and Magnolia districts. This record captures the region's complex mix of river-based commerce, hillside agriculture, and early energy extraction.