1961 Map of Rarden

About this map

The Norfolk and Western railroad corridor defines the development of this southern Ohio landscape, following the valley of Brush Creek through the rugged hills of the Brush Creek State Forest. During the early 1960s, small settlements like Rarden and Youngs served as the primary hubs for a rural population scattered across family-named ridges and hollows. The presence of numerous small burying grounds, including the Old Hackworth Cem and Harmon Cem, alongside rural landmarks like the Mt Olive-Ladd Ch, points to a deeply rooted community structure before the mid-century shift toward larger regional centers. Mapping shows a land dominated by a complex network of runs and forks, such as Jessie Run and Dry Fork, which dictated the placement of early homesteads and secondary routes like Hackworth Hill Road and Skidmore Road.