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1969 Map of Rainelle

Name: 1969 Topographic Map of Rainelle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Meadow River defines the industrial and geographical heart of this West Virginia landscape, where the town of Rainelle serves as a central hub at the convergence of several mountain streams. In the late 1960s, the region was characterized by a heavy reliance on the Sewell and NF&G railroads, which facilitated the transport of resources from numerous strip mines and deeper mines dotting the slopes of Sewell Mountain and Quinnimont Mountain.

Social life in these mountain communities revolved around several small settlements and rural landmarks, from the hilltop Big Sewell Ch near Maywood to the Lilly Park grounds. The terrain is marked by family and descriptive landmarks like Buster Knob and Chestnut Flat, while the proximity of the Fayette and Greenbrier county border highlights the cross-county nature of the local timber and mining economies. Smaller hamlets like Bellwood and Spring Dale are connected by winding mountain roads, including the notable Loops Road.