1969 Map of Bradford

About this map

Bradford serves as the industrial and cultural anchor for McKean County, where the convergence of the Erie Lackawanna, Baltimore and Ohio, and Penn Central railroads illustrates a legacy of mid-century transport and commerce. The city's growth is marked by institutions such as the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and a prominent Hospital. Southward along the East Branch and West Branch of Tuna Creek, the landscape transitions into the wooded expanse of the Allegheny National Forest. Scattered settlements like Degolia, Custer City, and Lewis Run follow the valley floor, interspersed with dozens of oil wells that highlight the region's enduring extractive history. To the west, the topography rises sharply toward Hedgehog Hollow and Brown Valley, where a series of municipal water sources including Reservoir No 1 and Reservoir No 5 are tucked away in the drainages.