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1922 Map of Altoona

Name: 1922 Topographic Map of Altoona
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1922
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1922

About this map

Allegheny Mountain forms the dominant northwest-to-southeast spine of this 1920 survey, creating a formidable barrier between the plateau and the valley settlements. The industrial and transit hubs of Altoona and Juniata are densely mapped at the foot of the slope, where the complex rail network of the Pennsylvania railroad and the Altoona Northern line converge. This intersection of heavy rail and steep topography defined the region's growth, evident in the string of coal-mining and timber settlements like Blandburg, Lloydville, and Frugality that cling to the higher elevations.

Rural education and community life are well-documented through a dense distribution of local institutions, including the Richland School, Sabbath Rest School, and Dakota School. The map also captures the hydraulic infrastructure supporting these growing centers, from the Allegheny Reservoir to the Tyrone Reservoirs near the Little Juniaia River. The landscape is etched with numerous small runs and hollows, such as Mulligan Hollow and Riggles Gap Run, illustrating the rugged drainage patterns that influenced road placement and land use during the early twentieth century.