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1957 Map of Toms Creek

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Toms Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Coeburn and Bondtown serve as the primary hubs in this mid-century portrait of Wise County’s coal and rail country. The landscape is defined by the heavy presence of extractive industry, with numerous strip mines and mine dumps lining the ridges of Sandy Ridge and Guest Mountain. This economic activity is tied directly to the transportation network, featuring the Norfolk and Western and Clinchfield RR, including the engineering feat of the Little Tom Tunnel.

Southward, the terrain transitions into the protected woodlands of the Jefferson National Forest, where smaller settlements like Banner, Maytown, and Riverview are situated along the banks of the Guest River. For genealogists, the map is remarkably dense with family-named landmarks, such as Adkins Cem, Stallard Cem, and Powers Cem, alongside local institutions like McClellan Chapel and Fairview Sch. The presence of the Ball Hill Lookout Tower and various gaging stations reflects the active forest and water management of the Tennessee Valley Authority during this era.