1965 Map of Bolivar

About this map

Bolivar and Richburg anchor this mid-1960s topographic study of southwestern Allegany County, where the landscape is defined by a dense network of petroleum extraction and rural crossroads. Hundreds of gas and oil wells dot the hillsides between Messer Hill and Jordan Hill, illustrating the region's long-standing reliance on the energy industry. The valley floors trace the path of the Pittsburgh Shawmut and Northern Railroad, which follows the route of Little Genesee Creek through settlements like Little Genesee and Bowler. Local genealogy and land use are well-documented here, with several burial grounds including St Marys Cem and Maple Lawn Cem near the Bolivar village limits. The terrain is marked by numerous named hollows, such as Coon Hollow Creek and Sanford Hollow, which break up the high ground between the township lines of Wirt and Genesee.