1968 Map of Wells Tannery

About this map

Wells Tannery sits at the intersection of several mountain ridges near the border of Bedford and Fulton counties, serving as a focal point for this rural Appalachian landscape. The terrain is defined by the massive slopes of Kimber Mountain, Rays Hill, and Sideling Hill, which channel development into valleys like Sherman Valley and Brush Creek Valley. Evidence of the area’s resource-based economy is visible in the north with a Strip Mine and the dense woodland of Buchanan State Forest. The map documents a network of named trails and roads such as Dug Road and Bark Road that connect isolated landmarks like Shortys Place and Old Mtn House. Religious and community life is reflected in several remote country churches, including Sherman Valley Ch and Mountain Chapel, highlighting the self-contained nature of these mountain gap settlements during the late 1960s.