1964 Map of Blairsville

About this map

The Conemaugh River Lake dominates the landscape west of Blairsville, formed by the massive Conemaugh Dam at Bow Ridge. This post-war era survey illustrates the complex relationship between industrial extraction and flood control in Western Pennsylvania. The presence of numerous gas wells and a Conveyor Mine north of Keystone State Park highlights the region's active energy economy. A curious piece of local history is preserved in the Old Railroad Grade that skirts the lake's northern edge, a remnant of former transit lines that once connected riverside communities like Bairdstown and Torrance. Further south, the map details the expansive grounds of the Torrance State Hospital and isolated rural markers like Old Salem Ch and Mt Carmel Cem, which anchor the small crossroads settlements of Derry and Burrell townships.