1939 Map of Speedwell

About this map

Wytheville serves as the regional anchor on this map, showing the town's early 20th-century footprint as a hub for the Norfolk and Western Railway. The landscape transitions from the urban rail corridor of the Lee Highway into the deep terrain of the Jefferson National Forest, where the Appalachian Trail winds through the high ridges. This era reflects a rural economy still heavily tied to the land and localized industry, evidenced by the Little Wythe Furnace near Cripple Creek. The surrounding countryside is dotted with a high density of neighborhood institutions like New Hope Ch, Zion Sch, and Mountain View School, revealing the scattered nature of settlements such as Favonia and Simmerman before modern consolidation.