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1947 Map of Wilkes-Barre West

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Wilkes-Barre West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1990
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1990

About this map

Industrial and residential development along the Susquehanna River defines this landscape in the mid-20th century. While the northern portion of the sheet is dominated by the urban centers of Wilkes-Barre, Plymouth, and Larksville, the topography shifts dramatically as it moves south into the ridge-and-valley terrain. Penobscot Mountain and Wilkes-Barre Mountain create a physical barrier between the river valley and the more rural reaches of Dorrance Twp and Wright Twp.

Tracing the coal economy, the map identifies numerous extractive sites including the South Mine, various unnamed Strip Mines, and extensive Mine Dumps that mark the hillsides. Local history is deeply preserved in the clusters of community institutions, such as Shawnee Cem, Dodson Sch, and the Post Office in the city center. Smaller settlements like Warrior Run and Nuangola appear as distinct pockets of settlement within the broader industrial and natural environment, connected by the Conrail lines and local thoroughfares like Middle Road.