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1965 Map of Sylvester

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Sylvester
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Big Coal River snakes through the heart of the Sherman district in Boone County, defining the industrial and social layout of this coal-mining corridor. Following the river's winding path, the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad serves as the primary artery connecting a string of small settlements and mining operations, from Seth and Kirbyton in the north down to Prenter and Sylvester in the south. The hillsides are heavily marked by strip mines, particularly in the Cabin Creek Mines area, where the terrain reflects decades of extraction.

Local life is anchored by family-named cemeteries such as Coon Cem and Pettry Cem, along with community landmarks like Mt Herman Ch. Near the southern end of the sheet, the presence of a Drive-in Theater and a Compressor Sta illustrates the mid-century infrastructure supporting the local workforce. Numerous creek branches, including Hopkins Fork and Horse Branch, feed into the main river, creating a complex landscape of narrow valleys and ridges that dictated the placement of every homestead and rail siding.