2011 Map of Thurmond

About this map

The New River corridor defines this landscape, where the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway hugs the shoreline through a series of steep mountain gaps. This 2011 survey captures the legacy of the region's industrial past, centered on the historic town of Thurmond, once a primary shipping point for West Virginia coal. The map illustrates a dense concentration of riverside settlements including Sewell, Beury, Claremont, and Thayer, many of which were founded as coal-loading or rail stops along the river bend. Elevated terrain like Garden Ground Mountain and Beury Mountain hem in the narrow valley, while several water control structures such as the Coal Run Number Two Dam and Cedar Branch Dam appear on the tributaries. In the upland areas, the community of Minden and ridges like Pea Ridge contrast with the tight, rail-dominated topography of the lower river canyon.