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1974 Map of Varilla

Name: 1974 Topographic Map of Varilla
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1991
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1991

About this map

The Cumberland River carves a sharp path through the northwestern corner of this Bell County landscape, where the settlement of Varilla sits at the foot of Laurel Hill. This 1974 revision documents a region defined by extensive extractive activity, with Strip Mine operations sprawling across the high ridges of Black Mountain and Hances Ridge. These industrial footprints contrast with the long-established social fabric of the hollows, marked by family-named landmarks such as the Barnett Cem and Miracle Cem.

The southern portion of the map transitions into the protected terrain of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, tracing the rugged Cumberland Mountain ridge where the borders of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee converge. Along the winding Brownies Creek, the community of Cubage remains anchored by local institutions like Cabbage Sch. This survey serves as a vital record of the coal-producing Appalachians, showing the complex overlap of wilderness preservation, mountain industry, and remote homesteads.