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1957 Map of Harrisburg

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Harrisburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

The State Capitol in Harrisburg anchors this 1969 revision, documenting a massive stretch of Central Pennsylvania defined by the dramatic ridge-and-valley landscape. The Susquehanna River serves as the central artery, joined by the Juniata River and West Branch Susquehanna River, carving through prominent terrain like Blue Mountain and Peters Mountain. This topography dictated the corridor for the Pennsylvania RR and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, connecting industrial hubs like Shamokin, Pottsville, and Lebanon.

Military and educational institutions appear as major footprints on the landscape, notably the U S Military Reservation Indian Town Gap and Pennsylvania State University at State College. Large conservation areas, including Bald Eagle State Forest and Tuscarora State Forest, preserve the higher elevations between growing valleys, while the presence of the U S Army Depot Letterkenny and Marietta Air Force Station reflects the region's mid-century strategic importance.