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1941 Map of New Holland

Name: 1941 Topographic Map of New Holland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1941
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1941

About this map

Ephrata and New Holland anchor this detailed landscape of Lancaster County just as the modern highway system was taking shape. The map illustrates a dense network of rural infrastructure, from the early construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the established Reading and Columbia Division rail line. This era reflects the peak of the community-centered rural school system, with numerous small buildings such as Fetter School, Clay School, and Metzler School serving localized districts before mid-century consolidation.

Religious and social life is marked by longstanding institutions like Heller Church and Leacock Church, while the topography is defined by the prominent ridge of Welsh Mt and the winding course of Conestoga Creek. The map documents the intricate division of townships like Upper Leacock and Brecknock, providing a precise record of farm-to-market roads and small settlements such as Farmersville and Reamstown before post-war suburban expansion altered the traditional agricultural character of the region.