The first edition of the colorized Patterson Creek Settlement map will hang proudly at Ashby’s Fort Museum in Fort Ashby. Barbara Townsend, representing the Fort Ashby DAR, won the map as the Mineral County Historical Society offered the first in the limited edition series for drawing.
Area residents can add this piece of local history to their homes as the maps are now available for purchase for $20 along with any remaining black and white copies, which sell for $10.
The black and white maps are available at the Burlington Library, Fort Ashby Books, Main Street Books and the Hampshire County Library in Romney.
Both the color map and black and white version can also be ordered from the Mineral County Historical Society by contacting Frank Roleff at (304) 788-5129.
Suitable for framing, this is a reconstructed version of an eighteenth-century survey map of the lower Patterson Creek Valley, commonly known as the “Patterson’s Creek Settlement.” 
Dr. Wilmer Kerns restored and photocopied the survey maps after discovering them ten years ago in the Virginia state archives in Richmond. Kerns has researched the history of northwestern Virginia and eastern West Virginia and detailed notes concerning each lot depicted on the map appear on the back of the new poster-sized publication.
Kerns’ notes explain that in the summer of 1748, pioneer families were living in 17 log cabins along Patterson Creek from the location of what is now the community of Headsville to the mouth of the creek on the Potomac River.  It was during that summer, at the request of Lord Fairfax, that James Genn began to survey and map the “Lower Patterson’s Creek Settlement.” Following completion of the survey, Lord Fairfax granted lots to the various settlers.
A total of 23 plots, ranging in size from 167 to 399 acres, appear on the map. 
Each plot is identified with its respective acreage, and in most instances with the name of the land owner.
In August of 1749, residents of the lower Patterson Creek Valley petitioned the Court of Frederick County, Va., requesting construction of two roads into their settlement. 
According to Kerns, these two roads would not only connect the settlement with the county courthouse in Winchester, but would also allow trade with the settlers of the nearby South Branch Valley.
Appearing on the new publication alongside the settlement map itself is a reproduction of the handwritten petition, including the names of the petitioners.