1897 Map of Albion

About this map

The Erie Canal flows through the northern villages of Albion and Holley, anchoring a landscape defined by 19th-century transit and agricultural drainage. This 1896 survey, published in the 1930s, reveals a complex web of rail infrastructure spanning the boundary between Orleans and Genesee counties. Major corridors like the Niagara Falls Line and the West Shore R.R. bisect the townships, connecting smaller agricultural hubs like Byron and Elba. The central portion of the map is dominated by the Oak Orchard Swamp, where the Oak Orchard Creek and various ditches indicate early efforts to manage the wetlands for cultivation. In the south, the city of Batavia sits at a major rail junction along Tonawanda Creek, while family-named landmarks like Pumpkin Hill and Genung suggest the deeply settled rural character of the era.