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1961 Map of Harrisburg

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Harrisburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Susquehanna River and its major tributaries, the Juniata River and West Branch Susquehanna River, anchor this 1961 study of Pennsylvania's Ridge-and-Valley province. This era shows the state's strategic military importance, with sprawling installations like Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, the Carlisle Barracks, and specialized logistics hubs including the Mechanicsburg Naval Supply Depot. These sites sit at the intersection of a massive transport network where the Pennsylvania RR and Reading RR cross paths with the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Beyond the industrial and administrative hub of Harrisburg, the landscape transitions into the agricultural heartland of Lancaster and the academic grounds of Pennsylvania State University in State College. The complex terrain of Blue Mountain and Tuscarora Mountain is clearly delineated, showing how the natural geology dictated the placement of historic settlements like Sunbury, Lebanon, and Carlisle.