2013 Map of Wheelwright

About this map

Wheelwright and the neighboring community of Weeksbury anchor this topographic view of the coal country of eastern Kentucky. The landscape is defined by its deep branching hollows and the waterways that carved them, including Left Fork Beaver Cr and Otter Cr. Significant local history is preserved through numerous family and community burial grounds, such as Burke Cem, Tackett Cem, and the Fleming Memorial Gardens. The settlement pattern follows the narrow valley floors, where small communities like Melvin, Ligon, and Buckingham sit tucked between steep rises like High Knob and Potatoe Knob. This intricate network of "forks" and "branches" illustrates the traditional Appalachian geography where transportation and housing are inextricably tied to the creek beds and ridge lines, visible in the winding routes of Blue Branch Rd and Ligon Gap Rd.