1979 Map of Powhatan

About this map

The James River forms the northern boundary of this Piedmont landscape, which is captured here in an orthophotograph produced by the Soil Conservation Service and the Geological Survey. The imagery reflects a rural territory in transition during the late 1970s, where traditional timber and agricultural clearings are increasingly interrupted by residential development patterns. Small community centers such as Provost, Jefferson, and Plain anchor the local road network, while the western portion of the sheet is defined by the Powhatan Lakes. The dendritic drainage of Fine Creek and other unnamed tributaries illustrates the deeply dissected topography typical of the region as it slopes toward the river basin. Unlike a standard line-and-symbol map, this photographic record shows the exact state of field cultivation and forest cover during the spring of 1979.