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1948 Map of Wildwood Fire Tower

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Wildwood Fire Tower
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The Wildwood Fire Tower stands as a central sentinel over a heavily dissected landscape where the boundaries of McKean, Elk, and Cameron counties converge. This 1940s-era survey reveals a terrain defined by narrow ridges and steep-walled hollows, largely encompassed by the Elk State Forest and State Game Lands No 25. In the northern reaches, the Wellendorf Station and Wellendorf Branch mark the presence of earlier rail or industrial activity, while a prominent Pipeline cuts across the northern ridges of Sergeant.

The drainage patterns of the Driftwood Branch Sinnemahoning Creek and its many tributaries, such as Windfall Run and Cherry Run, dictate the movement through these deep valleys. Localized names like Bull Wheel Hol, Naval Hollow, and Toner Hollow reflect a history of timbering and small-scale natural resource extraction common to the Pennsylvania Wilds. The map provides a detailed view of the remote camps and access points used before modern development altered the character of these highlands.