2016 Map of Rio

About this map

Kirby and Rio sit within a landscape of steep ridges and parallel valleys along the border of Hampshire and Hardy counties. This 2016 survey documents a rural environment where community life centers on long-established sites such as Hotts Chapel Cem, Bethel Baptist Church Cem, and Lutheran Ebenezer Cem. The terrain is defined by prominent features like Short Mtn and South Mountain, which channel the flow of the N River and its various tributaries including Meadow Run and Sperry Run. The modern road network, including Co Rte 12 and Co Rte 7, follows the natural contours of the land, connecting family-named landmarks and secluded hollows like Bell Hollow. Near the settlement of Rock Oak, the Jerry Staggs Memorial Bridge spans the river, serving as a contemporary landmark in an area rich with ancestral cemeteries and traditional mountain gaps like Staacks Gap.