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1959 Map of Penfield

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Penfield
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Moshannon State Forest dominates this landscape in the late 1950s, a rugged expanse where the industrial footprint of extractive industries meets large-scale conservation efforts. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad follows the valley floor through Penfield, serving as the primary corridor for local commerce alongside Bennett Branch. This valley is a hub of activity, with numerous Strip Mines and quarries dotting the hillsides, signaling the region's heavy reliance on coal and stone production.

Evidence of early 20th-century community life is found at the Mt Pleasant Cem near the Penfield Reservoir and at the Laurel Run Cem. The map reveals the transition between organized timber management at the State Tree Nursery and protected wildlife habitats within State Game Lands No 93. This era captures a moment when the rural settlements of Winterburn, Hollywood, and Scattertown remained closely tied to the topography of the Appalachian Plateaus.