1904 Map of Beaver

About this map

The confluence of the Beaver River and the Ohio River anchors this industrial and transportation corridor at the turn of the century. Large riverfront settlements like Beaver Falls, New Brighton, and Rochester cluster along the narrow valley floors, while the surrounding plateaus are dominated by rural townships such as Chippewa and Raccoon. The landscape is defined by the heavy infrastructure of the era, including the Pennsylvania and Pittsburg Railroad and early navigational structures like Dam No. 6 and Dam No. 5. These dams, alongside established crossing points like Cooks Ferry near Shippingport, illustrate a river system transitioning from traditional flatboat transit to a modern industrial waterway. Further downstream, smaller hamlets such as Smiths Ferry and Georgetown occupy the river bends, serving as vital links between the rugged interior of Greene township and the main trade routes.