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1971 Map of Windber

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Windber
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1994
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1994

About this map

The industrial coal-mining landscape of Somerset and Cambria counties is revealed in this 1971 study, focusing on the borough of Windber. The map documents a significant era of transition, where active mining sites like Mine Dumps and Tipples sit alongside extensive areas marked as Reclaimed Strip Mines. This reclamation effort is particularly visible around Rummel and Scalp Level, showing the early 1970s push to manage the environmental footprint of Pennsylvania's bituminous coal fields.

Beyond the industrial center, the map captures a network of small settlements and historical sites like the Old Shade Furnace near Shade Creek. To the east, the Gallitzin State Forest preserves a wilder character, crisscrossed by the John P Saylor Trail. The density of community life is evident in the numerous parochial landmarks, such as SS Peter and Paul Ch and Holy Child Sch, illustrating the cultural fabric of these mining towns during the late twentieth century.