1969 Map of Lykens

About this map

The northern edge of the coal regions in Dauphin County is defined by the heavy industrial and mountain landscape surrounding Lykens and Wiconisco. By the late 1960s, the terrain of Short Mountain and Bear Mountain shows extensive evidence of the anthracite era, with numerous Strip Mines and a large Tailings Pond bordering Wiconisco Creek. The valley floor is tightly packed with residential blocks and civic infrastructure, including the Wiconisco Sch and Calvary Ch, while the northern plateau near Gratz maintains a more open character featuring a Drive-in Theater, Fairgrounds, and the Flying Eagles Airfield. Large tracts of protected land, such as State Game Lands No 264 and Haldeman State Forest, cover the ridges, where numerous runs like Rattling Creek and Doc Smith Run carve deep gaps into the sandstone heights. These wooded slopes separate the industrial valley from the agricultural expanses of Hubley and Jefferson townships.