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1956 Map of Harrisburg

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Harrisburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

The Susquehanna River dominates this mid-century Pennsylvania landscape, serving as a massive conduit for transportation and a backdrop for the state's seat of power. The State Capitol and the densely developed neighborhoods of Harrisburg are set against the striking geological staircase of Blue Mountain, Second Mountain, and Peters Mountain. This topography dictated the path of the Pennsylvania and Reading railroads, which converge at the massive Rockville Bridge, once the longest stone masonry arch railroad viaduct in the world.

Industrial and community life is etched into the ridges, from the Rutherford Yards to the scattered rural landmarks of the north. Small historic settlements like Ellendale Forge and Stone Glen sit in the gaps between the mountains, while the Appalachian Trail follows the high ridges. The map captures the suburban growth expanding into Progress and Paxtonia, even as the river islands like McCormick Island remain largely undeveloped.