1915 Map of Somerset

About this map

Laurel Ridge dominates the western topography of this 1912–1913 survey, forming a natural barrier between Westmoreland and Somerset counties. The landscape is a complex network of narrow hollows and high ridges, where early trans-Appalachian routes like the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Road and the Lincoln Highway struggle against the terrain. Significant industrial activity is evident in the eastern half of the sheet, centered on the coal-rich valleys near Boswell and Acosta. Heavy extractive footprints are visible at the Orenda Mine No. 2 and Husband Mine, supported by the Baltimore and Ohio RR. The map also captures a rural educational landscape before school consolidation, preserving the locations of dozens of neighborhood sites such as the Temple School and Saylor School, alongside small agrarian settlements like Lavansville and Sipesville.