1961 Map of Vales Mills

About this map

Raccoon Creek meanders through the heart of this landscape, anchoring a series of small settlements and milling sites in the early 1960s. The terrain is defined by prominent ridges such as Long Ridge and Chestnut Ridge, where the complex topography of the Zaleski State Forest and Raccoon State Forest meets local agriculture. Small communities like Vales Mills and Bolins Mills hint at a local economy once tied to water power, while scattered oil wells and mines point to the region's extraction history. For genealogists, the map is particularly rich in family-named locations and rural infrastructure, including Arbaugh Cem, Gregory Cem, and Wilton Sch. The presence of several churches, such as Putnam Chapel and Harkins Chapel, underscores the importance of these small social centers in Vinton and Meigs Counties during this era.