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1911 Map of Butler

Name: 1911 Topographic Map of Butler
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Butler serves as the industrial and transportation hub for this Western Pennsylvania region at the dawn of the twentieth century. The landscape is defined by an intricate web of early rail lines, including the Western Allegheny RR, Pittsburgh And Western RR, and the Electric RR, which facilitated the movement of coal, oil, and passengers between rural outposts like Renfrew Sta and Queen Junction. The map captures a moment when the transition from agrarian life to industrialization was well underway, evidenced by numerous rural schools such as Thompson School and Campbell School standing alongside the growing urban grid of the county seat.

Waterways like Connoquenessing Creek and Thorn Creek provided the necessary power for local industry, including Frazier Mill. Beyond the urban centers, small settlements such as Saxonburg, Marwood, and Oneida dot the landscape, each connected by early thoroughfares like Mercer Road. For those researching family history, the inclusion of landmarks like Alameda Park and various country churches like White Church provides a clear view of the social geography of the era.