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2016 Map of Richlands

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Richlands
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

Richlands serves as the primary hub of this coastal plain landscape, where the headwaters of the New River begin to take shape amidst a complex network of wetlands and small rural communities. The map reveals a transition from the dense, saturated environments of Hell Pocosin and Juniper Swamp to the cleared agricultural lands surrounding settlements like Huffmantown and Gregory Forks. The presence of numerous swamp systems, including Mill Swamp, Calhoun Swamp, and Jenkins Swamp, has historically dictated the placement of roads and homesteads, creating a pattern of development that follows the higher, drier ground between the drainages.

Researchers will find a collection of small named locales such as Petersburg, Brocks, Francktown, and Ervintown, which represent the enduring community structures of Onslow County. The layout of rural routes like Koonce Fork Rd and Richlands Loop Rd connects these disparate points, illustrating the traditional inland transport network of the North Carolina interior before modern expansion altered the footprint of these historic neighborhoods.