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1947 Map of Roanoke

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Roanoke
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

The Blue Ridge Mountains and Allegheny Mountains form a massive topographic spine across this post-war landscape, where the ridge-and-valley terrain meets the rolling Piedmont. Major industrial and transit hubs like Roanoke and Lynchburg anchor the region, served by a dense network of major rail lines including the Norfolk & Western RR and the Chesapeake & Ohio RR. These rails follow the natural corridors carved by the James River and the Roanoke River, highlighting the era's reliance on river-gap geography for commerce.

Smaller settlements such as Appomattox, Charlotte Court House, and Victoria illustrate the rural character of the outlying counties. The map captures the extensive boundaries of the George Washington National Forest and Jefferson National Forest during a period of significant federal land management. Distinctive landmarks like the isolated peak of Willis Mountain stand out against the agricultural and timbered lands of Central Virginia.