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1947 Map of Lee Fire Tower

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Lee Fire Tower
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Lee Fire Tower watches over a deeply dissected landscape at the convergence of Potter, Lycoming, and Tioga counties. This rugged interior of the Pennsylvania Wilds is defined by high plateau ridges like Kettle Ridge and Chestnut Ridge, separated by a dense network of hollows including Indian Bill Hollow and Frying Pan Run. The map illustrates a wilderness economy transitioning from early industry to resource management, evidenced by Sliders Dam and Big Dam along the watercourses, and a solitary Gas Well in the Elk district.

Transport and access are dictated by the steep topography, with legacy paths like the Clay Mine Trail and Fill Trestle Trail winding through the drainages. Settlement is nearly non-existent, replaced by a complex system of forestry and survey markers, including numerous benchmarks like BM 2403. A small Landing Strip near the southern border provides a rare point of modern infrastructure amidst the sprawling drainages of Kettle Creek and the Francis Branch.