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1956 Map of Reading

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Reading
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The Schuylkill River and its sharp bends at Poplar Neck define the industrial and residential core of Berks County during the mid-1950s. The city of Reading is shown in significant detail, with its dense grid expanding into the surrounding boroughs of West Reading, Wyomissing, and Shillington. The dominance of the Reading Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad lines tracing the riverbanks highlights the era's dependence on rail for commerce.

Institutional landmarks like Albright College, the Reading Hospital, and numerous parochial schools such as St Joseph Sch anchor the urban landscape. Beyond the city center, the terrain rises sharply toward Mount Penn and Neversink Mountain, where the built environment gives way to wooded heights and recreational sites like the Berkshire Country Club. Genealogists will find extensive detail in the large burial grounds, including the Charles Evans Cemetery and the Precious Blood Convent in the southern hills.