1960 Map of Wind Gap

About this map

Blue Mountain serves as a massive topographic barrier on this 1960s sheet, with the Wind Gap itself providing the primary notch for transit between the northern coal regions and the slate belt to the south. The industrial character of the region is evident in the dense concentration of quarries surrounding Pen Argyl and West Pen Argyl, where the landscape is etched by deep excavations and tailing piles. Along the base of the ridge, the Erie Lackawanna Railroad connects early industrial hamlets like Belfast Junction and Edelman. Between the ridge and the Lehigh Valley, the landscape transitions into a mix of small settlements and agriculture, marked by community centers like Bushkill Center and Moorestown. Genealogists will find numerous rural landmarks, from Benders Ch to the Evergreen Cem, which anchor the local history of these Plainfield and Bushkill township communities.