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1895 Map of Pocahontas

Name: 1895 Topographic Map of Pocahontas
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1895
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1895

About this map

Coal mining and the railroad define the landscape along the West Virginia Virginia border in the 1890s. The expansion of the Norfolk and Western RR facilitates a string of industrial settlements through the Elkhorn Creek valley, including Keystone, North Fork, Elkhorn, and Maybeury. These boomtowns are situated amidst the steep relief of the Beartown Ridge and Garden Mountain, illustrating the era's intensive resource extraction.

South of the mining districts, the map reveals the unique geological formation of Burke Garden, a high valley completely enclosed by the circular rim of Garden Mountain. This natural bowl contrasts with the industrial activity further north near Pocahontas and Bluefield. Significant landmarks like Browns Peak and Griffith Knob stand over the winding paths of the Bluestone River and Walker Creek, providing a detailed look at the region's topography before modern development altered the mountain gaps.