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1957 Map of Willow Island

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Willow Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Ohio River corridor defines this 1957 landscape, serving as a busy industrial and transportation artery where the Baltimore and Ohio railroad skirts the riverbank. On the West Virginia side, the prominent Willow Island and its associated substation represent the era's infrastructure, while the surrounding hills are dotted with a high density of oil wells. This industrial presence contrasts with the deeply dissected terrain of the interior, where ridge-top life is evidenced by family and community landmarks like Middle Ridge and Pumpkin Knob.

Genealogists will find significant value in the distribution of rural institutions such as Middle Ridge Ch, Nash Springs Ch, and the Pumpkin Knob Sch. To the south, the Volcano Oil Field and scattered Strip Mine workings illustrate the region's heavy reliance on natural resource extraction. Small settlements like Waverly, Borland, and Deerwalk provide anchoring points for tracing local family histories across the county lines of Washington, Pleasants, and Wood.