1947 Map of Wilkes-Barre East

About this map

Wilkes-Barre sits at the edge of a landscape defined by the anthracite industry and the climb into the Poconos. This post-war update traces the heavy infrastructure of the era, from the numerous Strip Mine operations flanking Wilkes-Barre Mountain to the path of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension. Beyond the industrial core, the map reveals smaller upland communities like Laurel Run and Oliver Mills, where the Oliver Sch and Laurel Sch served local families. The southern half of the sheet shifts toward the high plateaus and wetlands, anchored by Crystal Lake and the summer colony at Glen Summit. These areas are characterized by vast marshes like Jimmy Kane Swamp and McKean Swamp, illustrating the transition from the coal-rich valley floor to the high, water-abundant reaches of the mountainside.