1947 Map of Ashland

About this map

The rugged coal country of the Pennsylvania anthracite region is captured here, centered on the dense grids of Ashland, Centralia, and Girardville. These valley settlements are defined by their proximity to the Reading railroad lines and the steep ridges of Big Mountain and Ashland Mountain. The landscape reveals the intense industrial and institutional development of the mid-1940s, from the Miners Hospital in Fountain Springs to the Centralia Fire Tower overlooking the valley. The map documents the tight relationship between the geography of the Lehigh Valley and the placement of collieries and company towns. Water management for the local population and industry is evidenced by the Ashland Res, while social infrastructure is visible through landmarks like the Immaculate Heart Academy and Beaver Meadow Sch.