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1940 Map of Pulaski

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Pulaski
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1945
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1945

About this map

Pulaski serves as the industrial and transportation hub for this portion of the New River Valley, where the Norfolk and Western railway snakes through the complex ridges of Southwest Virginia. The landscape is defined by the sharp parallel ridges of Walker Mountain and Little Walker Mountain, creating a series of narrow valleys where isolated communities like Holly Brook and Mechanicsburg developed around local water sources and mountain gaps.

Resource extraction is evident at the Stange Mines and Empire Mine, reflecting the region's reliance on the earth's riches during the mid-century. Cultural life is anchored by landmarks such as the Shiloh Ch and Silver Creek Sch, while the Dismal Peak Fire Tower stands as a lonely sentinel over the surrounding National Forest. This 1940s survey preserves the layout of rural crossroads and mountain homesteads just as U.S. Route 11 was cementing its role as a primary artery for the region.