1976 Map of Avoca

About this map

The Lackawanna River corridor defines the industrial and residential heart of this region, where the dense grid of Old Forge and Avoca transitions into the steep, wooded hills of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. This 1976 orthophotograph captures the complex transport infrastructure of the mid-1970s, including the airfield and the winding path of Spring Brook as it cuts through the upland terrain. The map provides an overhead view of the post-coal landscape, where small settlements like Suscon and Dupont are situated amidst a network of highways and rail lines that facilitated the movement of goods and people through the Wyoming Valley. The photographic detail offers a clear look at the spatial relationship between the river towns and the higher elevations to the east, revealing the footprint of mid-century development and the natural drainages that shaped local growth.