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1946 Map of Nanticoke

Name: 1946 Topographic Map of Nanticoke
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1946
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1946

About this map

The Susquehanna River cuts a deep corridor through the ridges of Luzerne County, serving as the central axis for the anthracite coal region's industrial development. By the mid-1940s, the landscape around Nanticoke and Glen Lyon shows a mature industrial pattern, where the infrastructure of the Pennsylvania railroad and the Delaware and Pennsylvania Canal (Abandoned) line the riverbanks. The map documents the dense social fabric of these mining communities, dotted with numerous religious and social landmarks like St Michaels Cem, St Alberts Cem, and the State Hospital.

South of the river, the terrain rises sharply into Shickshinny Mountain and Penobscot Mountain, where the settlement patterns shift from the industrial density of Wanamie to the rural crossroads of Slocum and Stairville. Natural water features such as Lily Lake and Cranberry Pond highlight the more isolated upland areas, providing a sharp contrast to the rail-heavy river valley. This survey captures the transition from the concentrated urban coal towns to the small farming hamlets and family-named cemeteries that define the surrounding townships.