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1964 Map of Smithville

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Smithville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Smithville sits at the junction of U S 33 and W Va 47, serving as a central hub for this portion of the West Virginia oil and gas fields. The landscape is defined by the winding course of the Hughes River and its South Fork, which carve through the high ridges of Murphy, Sheridan, and De Kalb districts. This 1960s survey illustrates a rural economy deeply integrated with natural resource extraction, as evidenced by the dense concentration of Oil Wells and Gas Wells peppered across the hillsides and creek bottoms.

Local genealogy and social history are anchored by numerous family cemeteries and small community landmarks, such as the Reeves Cem, Hatfield Cem, and the Deep Valley School. Smaller hamlets like Goffs and Fonzo are connected by a network of unimproved roads following runs like Leatherbark Run and Indian Run. The map also captures several industrial points of interest, including a Compressor Station north of the river, crucial for the regional energy infrastructure.