1954 Map of Petroleum

About this map

The Louisville and Nashville railroad tracks cut a diagonal path across this 1950s landscape, connecting the county seat of Scottsville with the namesake settlement of Petroleum. This mid-century survey reveals an economy deeply tied to the land, dotted with numerous active Oil Wells concentrated near Rodemer and along the banks of Trammel Fork. The terrain is defined by a dense network of hollows and creeks, including Florida Creek and Rough Creek, which dictate the placement of rural homesteads and family cemeteries.