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1899 Map of Lebanon

Name: 1899 Topographic Map of Lebanon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1899
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1899

About this map

Lebanon serves as the industrial and transportation hub of this late-19th-century landscape, where a dense network of iron and rail connections converges. The Cornwall Railroad and Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad link the city south to the significant mining and manufacturing interests at Cornwall and Rexmont, situated at the base of South Mountain. To the north, the terrain transitions into the Monroe Valley and the steep slopes of Blue Mountain, marking the northern limit of the settled valley.

Rural life is anchored by a series of villages and crossroads such as Myerstown, Schaefferstown, and Jonestown. The intricate drainage of Little Swatara Creek and Tulpehocken Creek provided the water power that supported early industry, evidenced by landmarks like Crosskill Mills. This survey reveals the transition from early iron-ore extraction to a more complex regional economy before the large-scale suburban expansion of the 20th century.