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1981 Map of Parkersburg

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Parkersburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

The Ohio River serves as the central artery for this 1980s-era map, dictating the development of border towns in both West Virginia and Ohio. At the confluence of the Muskingum River, the city of Marietta anchor the northern reaches, while Parkersburg dominates the center near the historical Blennerhassett Island. The landscape is a complex network of ridgelines and watercourses, including New England Ridge and the winding Little Kanawha River.

Industrial and transport infrastructure is well-defined, showing the paths of the Baltimore and Ohio RR and the Chesapeake and Ohio RR as they follow the river valleys. Away from the main river corridor, smaller settlements like Elizabeth and Harrisville are shown amidst protected lands such as the Wayne National Forest and the Hughes River Public Hunting and Fishing Area. The presence of the Palestine State Fish Hatchery and several state forests highlights the region's managed natural resources during this period of the late twentieth century.