2014 Map of Panther

About this map

Panther sits at a major bend of the Tug Fork, serving as a primary point of settlement where the railroad follows the river through the steep valleys of the Cumberland Plateau. This 2014 survey documents a landscape defined by its deep hollows and high ridges, notably State Line Ridge, which forms the political boundary between McDowell County, West Virginia, and Buchanan County, Virginia. The region's genealogy is preserved in numerous family-named burial grounds tucked into nearly every drainage, such as Robertson Cem near Greenbrier Fork and Sullivan Cem to the north. Higher elevations are marked by landmarks like the Panther Lookout Tower, while the southern portion of the map shows the community of Blackey along the banks of Knox Creek. The intricate network of local roads like Johnny Cake Rd and Zacks Branch Rd reveals the persistent human footprint in this densely folded terrain.