1927 Map of St Marys

About this map

St Marys serves as the focal point of this riverine and upland landscape, where the Ohio River carves a path through the valley between West Virginia and Ohio. The river's influence is evident in the dense network of settlements and islands, including Grape Island and the narrow passage known as The Thoroughfare. Away from the water, the terrain rises sharply into Kings Ridge and Pleasant Ridge, a landscape dotted with numerous rural institutions such as Mt Carmel Church and the Willow Island School. Transportation is dominated by the Baltimore and Ohio RR, which skirts the river and cuts through the interior near Ellenboro. This era of the 1920s shows a high density of country schools and churches like Dunn Chapel and Meadow Run School, reflecting a settled rural society before the consolidation of many small communities and homesteads.