1916 Map of Windber

About this map

Windber and the coal-rich highlands of Somerset County dominate this topographic study, surveyed just before the First World War. The landscape is defined by the sharp descent from the Allegheny Mountains in the east toward the industrial valleys of Stony Creek and Quemahoning Creek. The presence of the Old Shade Furnace and Sinne Sawmill points to the region's early industrial roots in iron and timber, while the sprawling Quemahoning Reservoir and numerous rail spurs like the Jerome Junc reflect the massive infrastructure required for early 20th-century coal extraction. Local life is densely mapped through family-named landmarks and rural institutions, including the Kaufman School, Berkey Church, and the high-elevation settlement at Reels Corners. The map provides a detailed view of the complex rail network of the Pennsylvania RR and Baltimore and Ohio RR as they navigated the steep gaps and narrow runs of the Allegheny front.