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1969 Map of Rainelle

Name: 1969 Topographic Map of Rainelle
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Meadow River defines the industrial and topographic heart of this West Virginia landscape, where the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad follows the water's edge to serve the town of Rainelle. This 1969 survey, with 1976 revisions, reveals a territory profoundly shaped by coal and timber extraction, evidenced by the extensive strip mine operations and smaller mines dotting Wolfpen Ridge and Sewell Mountain. Local life is anchored in small settlements like Aldrich Camp, Lilly Park, and Bellwood, each connected by a network of rural roads and rail spurs.

Genealogists will find significant value in the distribution of community landmarks, such as Big Sewell Ch, Sturgeon Branch Ch, and Little Sewell Ch. The rugged boundary between Fayette and Greenbrier counties runs through the center of the sheet, crossing high points like Boggs Knob and Stevens Knob. The presence of several cemeteries near Maywood and Spring Dale provides precise points of interest for those tracing family roots in the Appalachian coalfields.