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1918 Map of Williamson

Name: 1918 Topographic Map of Williamson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1927
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1927

About this map

Tug Fork serves as the winding boundary between Kentucky and West Virginia, anchoring a landscape defined by sharp ridges and deep coal-country hollows. At the heart of this region, Williamson and East Williamson sit along the Norfolk and Western Ry, which follows the riverbank through industrial outposts like Borderland, Goodman, and Nolan. This 1910s era survey captures the early 20th-century density of the Tug River Valley, where rail lines and settlements are squeezed into the narrow valleys.

Genealogists can trace numerous local institutions throughout the hills, including Hurricane School, Lowe School, and Pinson School. Away from the main rail line, smaller communities and post offices such as Pinson Fork P O Peg Sta, McVeigh, and Zebulon are visible, connected by a network of creeks like Johns Creek and Pond Creek. The map documents a period of significant extraction and transport, highlighting the relationship between the rugged terrain and the development of company towns and rural school districts.