1913 Map of Summersville

About this map

The Summersville district in 1913 is defined by a dense network of mountain ridges and creek-bottom settlements during a period of burgeoning logging and extraction. In the north, the lumber-influenced communities of Widen and Swandale are connected by rugged topography, while the central hills feature landmarks like Youngs Monument on Powell Mountain. This era shows a landscape where rural education was highly localized, evidenced by the numerous small campus locations such as Armstrong School, Pecks School, and Winebrenner School. Crossing the Gauley River was a matter of specific geography, noted by the existence of Persinger Ford and Brocks Bridge. The map captures a moment when the county lines between Clay and Nicholas counties bisected a terrain of countless named forks and runs, reflecting a deeply ingrained local nomenclature for every valley.