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1908 Map of Middletown

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Middletown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

The Susquehanna River dominates this early twentieth-century landscape, serving as the industrial and logistical spine for southeastern Pennsylvania. Along its banks, the Pennsylvania Canal (Abandoned) runs parallel to a network of active railroads, including the Philadelphia Division and the Northern Central RR. Significant river features like Threemile Island and Haldeman Riffles are documented before modern development altered the waterway's character.

Inland, the survey reveals a dense rural fabric of named schools and churches that served the agricultural townships. Landmarks such as Hoffer Church and the Burnt Cabin School appear alongside established borough centers like Elizabethtown and Middletown. The convergence of multiple county lines near the river highlights the area's role as a regional crossroads, while elevations such as Chickies Ridge and Swatara Hill define the local topography between the valley floors.