1915 Map of Prestonsburg

About this map

Prestonsburg and the surrounding Floyd County hills are documented here during a period of transition, just before the full industrial expansion of the eastern Kentucky coalfields. The landscape is defined by the winding course of the Levisa Fork and its numerous tributaries, which served as the primary corridors for settlement and travel. Small communities and post offices are scattered throughout the narrow hollows, including Riceville PO, Bonanza, and Waldo. The intricate drainage pattern, featuring curiously named streams like Rough and Tough Br and German Creek, illustrates how geography dictated the placement of every farmstead and road. This survey by J. R. Eakin and his team captures the traditional agricultural and timber-dependent character of the region before modern infrastructure altered the valley floors.