1939 Map of Allentown

About this map

The industrial corridor of the Lehigh River anchors this pre-war landscape, where the dense urban centers of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Catasauqua meet a complex network of railroads including the LV RR and Reading RR. The map illustrates the region's transition from river-dependent manufacturing to the modern aviation era, highlighted by the early footprint of the Allentown Bethlehem Airport. Beyond the urban core, the terrain is dotted with small rural schoolhouses like Schortz Sch and Franklin Sch, alongside traditional settlements such as Shoenersville and Kreidersville. To the south, the topography rises sharply at Lehigh Mountain and South Mountain, overlooking Lehigh University. This survey details an era when local rail lines still connected every small borough, before the large-scale expansion of the interstate system fundamentally altered the Lehigh Valley's spatial organization.