Loading map...

1905 Map of West Union

Name: 1905 Topographic Map of West Union
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1918
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1918

About this map

Middle Island Creek carves a winding course through this section of northern West Virginia, defined by the intricate topography of the Allegheny Plateau as it appeared at the turn of the century. The southern portion of the map is anchored by the Baltimore and Ohio RR, which parallels the Northwestern Virginia Turnpike through Pennsboro and West Union. These vital transportation corridors supported a network of small settlements and post offices such as Central Station and Little PO.

Upstream at Middlebourne, the map illustrates a distinctive hydraulic feature known as The Jug, where the creek nearly loops back upon itself. The landscape is dense with family-named runs and hollows, reflecting a rural economy built around local nodes like Bowles Mills and Josephs Mills. These communities, along with smaller hamlets like Molehill and Bearsville, were connected by ridge-top roads and creek-side trails long before modern highway development reshaped the region.