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1916 Map of Richlands

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Richlands
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1932
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1932

About this map

Clinch River drainage and the surrounding ridges of the Appalachian Plateau define this territory at the border of Tazewell, Buchanan, and Russell Counties. The rail-and-river economy is centered on the Norfolk and Western railway, which follows the river valley through hubs like Richlands, Cedar Bluff, and Raven. Away from the valley, the landscape is a network of steep ridges and narrow hollows, including Keen Mountain and Jewell Ridge, where isolation fostered a distribution of localized community centers.

Genealogical interest is found in the numerous named schools and small settlements that served these remote hollows, such as Loggy Bottom School, Whitewood, and Antioch School. The map captures the region during a period of coal and rail expansion, evidenced by the clustered settlements of Red Ash and Doran. The topographic detail reveals the intricate system of gaps and ridges, such as Gap of Sandy and Pistol Gap, which dictated early travel and settlement patterns.