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1949 Map of Vanceburg

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Vanceburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Vanceburg serves as the focal point of this 1940s landscape, situated where the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad tracks trace the southern bank of the Ohio River. The river forms a dramatic bend north of town, separating Kentucky from Ohio, while the inland terrain is defined by a dense network of branches and creeks, most notably Salt Lick Creek and the winding Kinniconick Creek. This period of Lewis County history is marked by small, self-contained communities centered around local institutions such as Walnut Grove Ch, Evans Chapel, and Fly Branch Sch.

The map reveals the rural infrastructure of the era, including the Lewis County Infirmary and scattered river features like the Ferry crossing at Mile 379. Settlement patterns follow the narrow valleys, with named landmarks like Groundhog Br and Sugar Tree Branch indicating a landscape still deeply tied to its natural drainage and topographical contours. North of the river, the Shawnee State Forest preserves the wooded character of the Ohio side near Sandy Springs.