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1964 Map of Patterson

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Patterson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Patterson sits at the confluence of several mountain branches, serving as a hub for industrial and transportation activity in mid-century Buchanan County. The landscape is defined by its extraction-based economy, evidenced by the numerous mines and gas wells that dot the ridges and hollows. Infrastructure like the Norfolk And Western railroad, a conveyor, and a tipple illustrate the logistics of moving materials out of the valley near Dismal Creek.

Social life in this corner of the Appalachians centered around small, decentralized settlements like Stacy, Matney, and Wolford. Local history is preserved in the many family-named burial grounds, including Blankenship Cem, Lester Cem, and Payne Cem, which are scattered across the slopes of Compton Mountain and Brushy Ridge. The presence of institutions like the Big Butt School and North Side Church reflects the tight-knit rural communities established long before modern consolidation.