1942 Map of Ashokan

About this map

Ashokan Reservoir dominates this wartime landscape in Ulster County, where the massive Ashokan Dam restrains the waters of Esopus Creek. This survey, compiled from aerial photography by Fairchild Aerial Surveys for the War Department, shows the infrastructure of the New York City water supply alongside the rural mountain communities that survived its construction. The New York Central railroad tracks skirt the northern shore, connecting the settlements of Shokan and Ashokan. To the south, the map details a network of local roads and community landmarks such as Vly Church, Acorn Hill Chapel, and several local schools like the Atwood School and Olive Bridge School. The terrain transitions from the steep southern slopes of the Catskill Mountains to the lower-lying settlements of Lomontville and Atwood, revealing a mid-century pattern of upland farms and small creek-side hamlets.