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1921 Map of Howard

Name: 1921 Topographic Map of Howard
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The West Branch Susquehanna River cuts a prominent path through the northern reaches of this central Pennsylvania landscape, serving as a corridor for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The topography is defined by the sharp transition from the steep, stream-carved ridges of Bald Eagle Mountain to the fertile agricultural stretches of Nittany Valley. Settlements like Howard and Beech Creek anchor a network of small rural communities connected by the New York Central Railroad and established road systems.

Genealogists will find an exceptionally dense record of early 20th-century social infrastructure, including more than a dozen local schoolhouses such as Hubbard School, Bitner School, and the Mann School. The map also preserves the locations of rural congregations at Laurel Run Church and Hunters Run Church. From the industrial operations at Orviston to the family-named landmarks like McClosky Run and Eagleton Fields, the map captures the rural economy of Clinton and Centre counties during a period of peak rail reliance.