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1958 Map of Tiptop

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Tiptop
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Wittens Mills and the industrial corridors of Tazewell County are etched into this mid-century landscape, where the Norfolk and Western Railway navigates the narrow valleys between East River Mountain and Stony Ridge. The map documents a complex mountain economy defined by extraction and transit, evidenced by several strip mines and the presence of Prison Camp No 31.

Settlement patterns follow the topography, with communities like Abbs Valley, Springville, and Tiptop clustered near water sources like the Bluestone River and Mud Fork. Genealogists will find a high density of family burial grounds, including the Mathena Cem and Moore Cem, while landmarks like the Valley Ridge Lookout Tower and Drive-in theater near Fourway provide a look at the social and protective infrastructure of the late 1950s.