In the late 19th century, birds-eye, panoramic maps became a viral sensation across the United States. Americans simply couldn’t get enough of them.

Read the Atlas Obscura story about these maps – “The Hidden History of America’s 19th-Century Mania for Panoramic Prints”

The sensation came to the Coal Region as well. The Library of Congress has several panoramic maps of Coal Region communities in its collections.

One of our favorites is this 1889 view of Pottsville made and manufactured by “T. M. Fowler & James B. Moyer” of Morrisville, Pennsylvania. In it, the viewer is treated to a unique perspective on the Schuylkill County seat that includes iconic landmarks like Yuengling Brewery, the Henry Clay statue, and the Schuylkill County courthouse and prison complex.

Click on the photo below to zoom and explore this photograph.

Featured Image: Birds-eye view of Pottsville, Pennsylvania (Library of Congress)

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