1976 Map of Minersville

About this map

Minersville and its surrounding coal-patch communities are viewed from above in this mid-1970s orthophotoquad, showing the intense surface alterations of the Southern Anthracite Field. The aerial imagery reveals the stark contrast between the dense residential grids of Llewellyn and Branch Dale and the surrounding industrial scars of mining operations. The terrain is defined by parallel ridges including Broad Mountain and Sharp Mountain, with the deep gashes of strip mines and tailing piles clearly visible between the wooded slopes. This perspective provides an unfiltered look at the intersection of human settlement and heavy industry, documenting the footprint of Buck Run and Newtown before later reclamation efforts. In the northern reaches, Mahanoy Creek winds past Gordon, marking the transition into the next valley of the coal region.