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1916 Map of Pikeville

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Pikeville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1916
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1916

About this map

Pikeville serves as the focal point of this 1914 survey, situated along the winding Levisa Fork in a landscape defined by an incredibly dense network of schools and narrow creek valleys. The settlement pattern follows the drainage of Beaver Creek and Shelby Creek, where dozens of numbered rural schools, such as School No 25 and School No 151, dot the hollows. This suggests a highly decentralized but deeply rooted mountain community structure before modern consolidation.

Transportation is dominated by the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad corridor, which links riverside points like Caney Siding and Penny Sta. The map also captures the early footprints of communities like Weeksbury and Virgie, alongside landmarks like Jones Chapel. From the heights of Poplarlick Pk to the plateau of Flatwoods, the survey illustrates the complex geography of eastern Kentucky at a time when the region's economy was tied closely to these rugged corridors and rail-side settlements.