1933 Map of Stony Man

About this map

Luray stands at the western edge of this 1933 survey, a critical transition point between the Shenandoah River and the high ridges of the newly created Shenandoah National Park. This edition captures the landscape just as the Skyline Drive and Appalachian Trail were being established across the Blue Ridge, following the crest through Thornton Gap and past the Panorama Hotel. The map reveals a dense network of mountain communities and institutions that predated the park's full development, including the St. George Mission, Skyland, and numerous rural schoolhouses like Rattleburg School and Beth Eden School. To the west, the Norfolk and Western railroad services settlements such as Elgin Station and Stanley. Geologic and commercial interests are evidenced by the Luray Caverns and an Old Copper Mine situated near the headwaters of the Hughes River.