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1953 Map of Parkesburg

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Parkesburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

The Penn Central rail line cuts a straight path through the Chester County landscape, anchoring the development of Parkesburg and Atglen. This mid-century survey reveals a transition from the industrial rail corridor to the surrounding agricultural uplands, where the North Valley Hills and South Valley Hills frame the fertile Valley Run corridor. The map captures established rural hubs like Sadsburyville along the historic Lincoln Highway and religious landmarks such as the Sadsbury Meeting House.

To the south, the terrain becomes more dissected by the East Branch Octoraro Creek and its many tributaries, including Knight Run and Doe Run. This area remains predominantly rural, dotted with country schools like the West Fallowfield Sch and small crossroad settlements such as Cochranville and Steelville. The distribution of these features suggests a landscape still deeply tied to early Pennsylvania settlement patterns and local water resources.