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1954 Map of Pittsburgh

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Pittsburgh
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Industrial hubs and mountain crossings anchor this mid-century view of Western Pennsylvania. The confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River at Pittsburgh serves as the focal point for a region defined by its river valleys and heavy rail infrastructure, including the extensive lines of the Pennsylvania RR and Baltimore & Ohio RR. The landscape transitions from the river-side factory towns like Donora and Monessen to the formidable ridges of the Allegheny Mountains in the east.

Transportation patterns are dominated by the Lincoln Highway and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which cut across the high terrain of Laurel Hill and Chestnut Ridge. Water management is prominent through several major works, including the Conemaugh River Reservoir and Loyalhanna Reservoir, which illustrate the post-war efforts to regulate the temperamental watersheds that converge on the Ohio River. From the steel centers to the railroad city of Altoona, the map records an era of peak connectivity before the widespread decentralization of industry.