1904 Map of Parkersburg

About this map

Parkersburg and Belpre anchor this 1902 survey of the Mid-Ohio Valley, a region defined by the convergence of the Ohio River, the Little Kanawha River, and the Muskingum River. The river landscape is dominated by the large Blennerhassett Island and a network of ferries and river-adjacent settlements like Constitution and Gravelbank. Inland, the topography rises into the dissected plateaus of Washington and Wood counties, where small agricultural and milling centers such as Browns Mill and Watertown are connected by the winding tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio R. R.. The map reveals a high density of rural communities, including Churchtown, Veto, and Tick Ridge, reflecting the early 20th-century reliance on localized trade and rail transport before the dominance of modern highways. This detailed study captures the industrial and maritime character of the riverfront just as towns like Vienna and Beechwood were beginning to expand.