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1904 Map of Batavia

Name: 1904 Topographic Map of Batavia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1918
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1918

About this map

Batavia serves as the dominant rail hub at the turn of the century, where the N. Y. Cent. and Hudson Riv. R. R. and Lehigh Valley R. R. converge before branching out across the Genesee and Wyoming county line. The landscape is defined by its complex drainage systems, with Tonawanda Creek flowing through the western townships and Oatka Creek carving a valley through the southeast near Wyoming.

Smaller hamlets like East Bethany, Linden, and Pearl Creek anchor the agricultural hinterland, connected by an intricate web of branch lines including the Erie R. R. (Attica Branch). The topography transitions from the flatter northern plains into the more pronounced relief of the southern hills, culminating at Burk Hill. This survey captures the height of the steam rail era in western New York, documenting the precise placement of rural schools, farmstead structures, and local centers such as Pavilion and Alexander before the modern highway system restructured the region.