1892 Map of Whitesburg

About this map

The Pine Mountain ridge forms a massive natural barrier along the Kentucky and Virginia border, defining the rugged geography of this late 19th-century survey. High passes like Pound Gap and Shelby Gap provide the primary transit points across the mountain wall, linking Letcher and Pike counties in Kentucky with Wise and Dickenson counties in Virginia. The settlement pattern follows the intricate drainage of the North Fork of Kentucky River and the Right Fork of Beaver Creek, with small communities such as Whitesburgh and Pikeville serving as focal points for the region. Notable local landmarks like Razor Blade, Beef Hide, and Mandrake appear alongside numerous named branches and forks, reflecting a deeply dissected landscape where every hollow and ridge line held significance for early residents and surveyors alike.