Historic Map - Mechanicsburg, PA - 1903

View of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, P.A., 1903 / drawn & published by T. M. Fowler.

This panoramic print of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania was drawn and published by Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler in 1903. Mechanicsburg was incorporated as a borough in 1828 in Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley. Mechanicsburg’s early history revolved around agriculture and wagon building. When the Cumberland Valley Railroad was built in 1837 Mechanicsburg became a regular water stop. The railroad enabled farmers to transport produce to neighboring regions easily. Many factories and foundries emerged in the mid-1800's along this rail route for their own transportation services. Mechanicsburg prospered greatly because of the railroad.

In 1857, the Irving Academy was founded in Mechanicsburg. The school for women was named after college trustee Washington Irving and concentrated on arts and sciences. Mechanicsburg had a population of nearly 4,000 by the year this map was published.

The map from 1903 includes labeled streets, buildings and railroad lines. It features inset illustrations of the following:

• Methodist E. Church.
• Merchants Hotel. J. S. Davis, Proprietor.
• Eberly and Orris. Wheels & Wheel Material. Steel & Rubber Tires.
• High School.
• Works of the D. Wilcox Manufacturing Company.
• The Potts Block.
• Church of God.
• Reformed Church.
• Potts Manufacturing Company.
• Hauck Bros. Hardware.
• Silver Springs Presbyterian Church. Built 1783.
• New Windsor Knitting Mills. Mfrs. Of Fine Seamless Half Hose, Misses & Infants Hosiery. Corner Frederick and Simpson Streets.
• Lutheran Church

Features numbered & lettered references to the following locations:

1. Irving College.
2. High School.
3. Public Schools.
4. Post Office.
5. Merchants Hotel.
6. American House.
7. National Hotel.
8. Wilcox Mfg. Co.
9. Eberly & Orris. Mfrs. of Wheels & Wheel Material.
10. F. Seidle. Mfrs. of Wheels & Wheel Material.
11. J. B. Koler. Spoke, Hub and Wheel Factory.
12. Geo. A. Comstock Foundry & Machine Works.
13. The Potts Mfg. Co. Ornamental Iron Works.
14. Martin R. Nissly. Cumberland Valley Creamery.
15. W. O. Neidig. Mfr. Of Horse Collars.
16. E. L. Stansfield Carriage Mfr.
17. Lewis Heiges. Carriage Builder.
18. New Windsor Knitting Mills.
19. L. F. Eberly & Sons Lumber Yard.
20. C. Martin & Sons Lumber & Coal Yard.
21. D. J. Beitzel Lumber & Coal Yard.
22. J. H. Koller Lumber & Coal Yard.
23. Jno. H. Uhrich Lumber & Coal Yard.
24. Cumberland L. H. & Power Co.

1. Silver Springs Presbyterian Church.
2. Methodist E. Church.
3. Church of God.
4. Lutheran Church.
5. Trinity Lutheran Church.
6. St. Marks Lutheran
7. Catholic Church.
8. United Brethren Church.
9. Dunkards Church.
10. Reformed Church.
11. Episcopal Church.
12. Brethren in Christ Church.