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1947 Map of Wilkes-Barre East

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Wilkes-Barre East
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Wilkes-Barre sits at the northern edge of this Pennsylvania landscape, where industrial activity and natural topography converge. The terrain is dominated by the steep rise of Wilkes-Barre Mountain and Mount Airy, separating the urban center from the more sparsely populated highlands to the southeast. Active extraction is evident through numerous strip mines dotting the hillsides near Georgetown and Laurel Run. The transportation network is particularly dense, with the Lehigh Valley RR and the Central RR of New Jersey winding through mountain gaps alongside the modern path of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Away from the industrial corridor, the map reveals a series of upland water bodies and swamps, including the expansive Crystal Lake and Bear Creek Lake. Small, established communities like Glen Summit and Oliver Mills, home to the Oliver Sch, suggest a shift toward residential and recreational uses in the mid-20th century. Local landmarks such as Holy Trinity Cem and Prospect Rock provide specific points of interest for genealogical and topographic research.