1937 Map of Pearisburg

About this map

New River meanders deeply through the center of this terrain, its course tightly followed by the Norfolk and Western Ry as it passes through Pearisburg and Pembroke. This 1930s survey captures a landscape of intense relief, where industrial rail infrastructure at the river's edge contrasts with high-altitude landmarks like Mountain Lake and the precipitous Cascades. The map reveals a dense network of mountain schools and churches, such as Swope School and Lucas Memorial Church, indicating a settled backcountry life tucked into the gaps of Peters Mountain and Doe Mountain. The inclusion of various "Abandoned" road segments and historic routes like the Turnpike north of Lindside provides a look at the shifting transportation patterns of the early twentieth century, while family-named locales like Hoges Store and Goodwins Ferry mark the economic hubs of the rural river valley.