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1955 Map of Holtwood

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Holtwood
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The Susquehanna River dominates this mid-century landscape, split between the Holtwood Reservoir and the Conowingo Reservoir. The massive industrial presence of the Holtwood Dam and its associated Power Plant marks the center of the sheet, where the river narrows between numerous named islands like Piney Island and Upper Bear Island. An Abandoned Canal traces the western bank, a relic of earlier river navigation superseded by the Penn Central rail lines that connect rural stops like Bryansville Sta and Castle Fin Sta.

Away from the water, the terrain is dotted with small rural crossroads and family landmarks. Small communities such as Muddy Creek Forks and Bethesda serve the surrounding farmland, while the presence of Erbs Mill and the Coyne Lock suggests a history tied closely to water power and commerce. Genealogists will find value in the specific locations of Union Chapel, Salem Ch, and the Drumore Cem, providing a clear record of the area's social and spiritual centers before late-20th-century development.