1947 Map of Hummelstown

About this map

Swatara Creek snakes through the center of this 1940s landscape, defining the industrial and recreational geography of eastern Dauphin County. The emerging footprint of Hershey is already well-established, featuring the Hershey Ind School, the Hershey Stadium, and even the Hershey Zoo. This era captures a transition in transportation as the Reading railroad and Stoverdale Station operate alongside established thoroughfares like the Benjamin Franklin Highway. To the west, the borough of Hummelstown sits at a critical junction of rail and road, while smaller hamlets such as Union Deposit and Sand Beach remain distinct rural centers. Numerous local schools, including Oak Hill School and Grubers School, are scattered across the surrounding townships, offering a clear view of the mid-century community structure before suburbanization fully connected these independent settlements.