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1909 Map of Hamburg

Name: 1909 Topographic Map of Hamburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Blue Mountain serves as the dominant spine of this landscape, dividing the agricultural valleys of Berks and Schuylkill counties. At the turn of the century, the region's economy was anchored by the Schuylkill River and a dense network of competing rail lines, including the Lehigh Valley RR and the Philadelphia and Reading RR. These transit corridors facilitated movement between agrarian hubs like Kempton and industrial nodes such as New Ringgold.

Detailed topographical surveying during this era highlights unique geological landmarks like Crystal Cave and The Pinnacle, while infrastructure such as Five Locks on the river indicates the lingering importance of water-borne transport. Smaller hamlets like Wessnersville Stony Run P O and Steinsville reflect the scattered settlement patterns typical of the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside before modern highway expansion. The map also delineates historical township boundaries, including Albany and Greenwich, which remain vital for genealogists tracing family landholdings.