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1954 Map of Donora

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Donora
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The industrial corridor along the Monongahela River and Youghiogheny River centers on the dense riverfront settlements of Donora, Monessen, and West Newton. In the mid-1950s, this region was a landscape of concentrated industry and growing residential districts, where the Norfolk and Western and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad lines hugged the riverbanks to serve local mills and mines. Above the river valleys, the plateau of Rostraver shows a shift toward suburban development and rural infrastructure, including the Rostraver Airport and Rostraver High Sch.

Genealogists and local historians can locate numerous family and community landmarks, such as the Concord Pioneer Sch (Historical Landmark) and several country churches like Victory Ch and Olive Branch Ch. The map also documents specific cultural sites like the Arrowhead Lakes and the Sweeneys Crossroads junction, alongside remnants of the coal era including various Mines and Tailings Ponds that shaped the geography of Westmoreland and Washington counties.