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1948 Map of Emporium

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Emporium
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Allegheny River headwaters and the deeply incised valleys of the Pennsylvania High Plateau define this 1940s landscape. From the confluence of the Allegheny Portage Creek and Portage Creek at Emporium, the map traces the narrow corridors of settlement and transit that follow the water through Shippen and Portage townships. The topography is marked by numerous family-named hollows and runs, such as Gleason Hollow and Healey Hollow, which illustrate the region's isolated rural character.

Infrastructure like the Pennsylvania railroad and various pumping stations, including one at Olmstead, signal the industrial presence in the woods. Local life centers on small communities such as Austin, Costello, and Wharton, each with established burial grounds like Mina Cem and Rees Cem. The map captures a moment before modern consolidation, showing the proximity of the Sizerville Park and the rugged transition across the county lines of McKean, Potter, and Cameron.