1977 Map of Coburn

About this map

Penns Creek meanders through the sharp, linear ridges of central Pennsylvania, cutting a deep valley between Long Mountain and Front Mtn. This 1977 orthophotoquad captures the physical landscape during a transition in mapping technology, utilizing high-altitude aerial photography rectified to a topographic grid. The imagery reveals the stark contrast between the heavy timber of the ridges and the precisely patterned agricultural fields in the valleys. This visual record of the land use patterns and topographical barriers in Centre County provides a clear view of the natural corridors that have historically dictated movement and settlement in this portion of the Appalachian Mountains.