1972 Map of Richwood

About this map

Richwood serves as the industrial and social anchor of this 1970s survey, situated at the confluence where the North Fork Cherry River and South Fork Cherry River merge. The town's layout reflects its heavy reliance on timber and rail, with the Cherry River Boom And Lumber Co and the Baltimore And Ohio railroad tracks tracing the riverbanks. Beyond the concentrated development of La Frank and Fenwick, the landscape rises sharply into the Monongahela National Forest, where the terrain is dominated by ridges like Beaver Ridge and peaks such as Mann Knob. This period shows a rugged mountain economy transitioning between resource extraction and forestry management. Small rural pockets like Jetsville and the family-associated Baber Cem are connected by high-elevation routes like Kentucky Road, while local landmarks such as the Gauley Ranger Station and Namo Chapel provide evidence of isolated community hubs in the Nicholas and Greenbrier county borderlands.