MARYLAND WEST VIRGINIA

OHIO

NEW YORK

NEW

JER

SEY

DE VA

AlleghenyReservior

Pymatuning Reservior

Pittsburgh

Alquippa

Erie

Carbondale

Scranton

Williamsport

BELLEFONTE

Mansfield Bradford

Meadville

Oil City

Du Bois

Wilkes-Barre

Altoona

Punxsutawney

Washington

McKeesport

Uniontown Gettysburg

York Chester

Lancaster

Reading

Allentown

Chambersburg

Lebanon

Hazelton

Waynesburg

Bethlehem State College

New Castle

Philadelphia

Towanda

Lewisburg

Pottstown

Norristown

Kennett Square

Carlisle

Mars Indiana

Butler

Latrobe Johnstown Hershey

Warren

Franklin

Sharon

Kittanning

Milton

1

90

22

84

83

81

70

79

80

78

15

6

220

81

81

62

6

17

219

80

15

70

522 Trenton

Harrisburg

N

Lake E

rie

Ohio

Rive

r

Susquehanna R

iver

*Note: Highways are present day for clarity

From/ToCleveland

From/ToLong Island

The transcontinental airmail route was laid out from Long Island, New York to San Francisco, California. The main route was broken into segments and worked like the pony express or a fireman’s “bucket brigade”. The route passed over every kind of terrain in the country including the snow covered Rocky Mountains. But the deadliest route was the Long Island to Cleveland flight with a refueling stopover at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. The danger was due to the unpredictable weather patterns and changing winds of the Allegheny Mountains. This mountain range contributed to the high rate of accidents and deaths and became known to the pilots as “The Hell Stretch” or “Hell’s Stretch”

The “Hell Stretch” Graveyard of the Alleghenies

Mike Newcomer Aviation ArtPO Box 308, Montandon, PA 17850

570-522-0746

www.airmailart.com

Topo Map Used With Permission of the NATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL DATA CENTER