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1984 Map of Sunbury

Name: 1984 Topographic Map of Sunbury
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1988
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1988

About this map

The Susquehanna River and its West Branch define the western landscape of this 1980s-era topographical study, meeting at Sunbury before cutting through the parallel ridges of the Appalachian Mountains. To the east, the intensive development of the Pennsylvania Anthracite region is evident in the dense settlement patterns of Shamokin, Mount Carmel, and Shenandoah. These towns are tightly constrained by the surrounding terrain of Mahanoy Mountain and Sharp Mountain, illustrating the industrial footprint of a region built on coal and iron.

Transit corridors follow the river valleys and mountain gaps, with the Conrail lines and US 15 tracing the water’s edge. Large tracts of protected land, including Weiser State Forest and various State Game Lands, cover the higher elevations, while the southern valleys around Gratz and Elizabethville show the more open, agricultural character of the Susquehanna valley floor. The map provides a clear record of the intersection between rugged geological formations and the human infrastructure of the mid-20th century.