1950 Map of Oleona

About this map

Ole Bull State Park dominates the southern landscape of this 1950 Potter County survey, preserving the legacy of the failed 19th-century Norwegian colony. The map documents the Ole Bull Castle (Ruins) on a bluff overlooking the waters of Kettle Creek. This remote stretch of the Pennsylvania Wilds is defined by deeply incised hollows and high ridges, including Rawson Ridge and Hickory Ridge, which funneled travel into narrow creek valleys. The tiny settlement of Oleona sits at a strategic junction of water and road, while isolated landmarks like the Yochum Cem and numerous hunting or logging paths such as the Pike-Whitman Trail and Hartman Trail indicate the area's transition from a failed colonial experiment to a state-managed forest and recreation area. Local names like Yochum Run and Burnisky Hollow offer valuable clues for genealogists tracking family lineages in Abbott and Stewardson townships.