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1965 Map of Thornton Gap

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Thornton Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Shenandoah National Park dominates this mid-1960s survey, following the high ridgelines where the Page and Rappahannock county lines meet. The landscape is defined by the winding course of Skyline Drive and the Appalachian Trail, providing a detailed look at the recreational infrastructure of the era, including shelters like Byrds Nest No 4 and the Pass Mountain Shelter.

Lower elevations reveal the area's rural character, centered around the community of Morning Star and the Morning Star Ch. The map captures the complex drainage systems of the Blue Ridge, showing how water bodies like the North Fork Thornton River and Hazel River carve through hollows such as Jewell Hollow and Frazier Hollow. This documentation of the rugged terrain at Thornton Gap and Thorofare Gap illustrates the intersection of wilderness preservation and local highland settlement.