2013 Map of Shenandoah

About this map

Shenandoah and the surrounding coal region of Schuylkill County are defined by a dense network of industrial settlements and water management systems. The terrain is dominated by the parallel ridges of Locust Mountain and Bear Ridge, which hem in a series of tightly packed communities including Mahanoy City, Gilberton, and Maizeville. The landscape is heavily modified by the legacy of anthracite mining, evidenced by the numerous numbered reservoirs such as Number Six Reservoir and Number Two Reservoir that dot the slopes of Locust Mountain. The complexity of the region's transportation history is visible in the concentrations of junction points like Frackville Junction, Bear Run Junction, and Newton Junction, which served the heavy rail requirements of the valley. To the north, the character shifts toward the more open valley of Ringtown, where the Catawissa Creek drainage provides a contrast to the industrial corridors found further south near Little Mahanoy Creek.