2016 Map of Swandale

About this map

The rugged coal and timber country of Clay County and Nicholas County defines this landscape, where small communities follow the tight curves of the local hollows. Swandale and Cressmont sit near the headwaters of Buffalo Creek, connected by the winding Co Rte 15/2 and Co Rte 15/4 through the high ridges. This area is deeply tied to the industrial history of the region, evidenced by the large Taylor Fork Refuse Disposal Lake near Bonetown Gap. Local family history is preserved in small hill-country burial grounds including Ramsey Cem, Kyle Cem, and Acree Cem. The terrain is marked by distinctive high points like Big Knob and Wallowhole Knob, which overlook the dense network of forks such as Lilly Fork and Hickory Fork that drain the central West Virginia highlands.