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1898 Map of Berlin

Name: 1898 Topographic Map of Berlin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1928
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1928

About this map

Rensselaer and Berkshire Counties meet at a high mountain crest on this survey, where the border between New York and Massachusetts is defined by the peaks of the Taconic Range. The Lebanon Springs Railroad runs through the central valley, connecting series of small industrial and farming hamlets including Berlin, South Berlin, and Stephentown. These communities are situated along the Kinderhook Creek, which carves a path between the steep slopes of Berlin Mtn and the highlands to the west.

The map reveals a landscape of deep hollows named for local families, such as Barber Hollow and George Allen Hollow, reflecting the early settlement patterns of the late nineteenth century. High-altitude crossings like Berlin Pass and Petersburg Pass provided essential transit over the ridgeline. To the west, numerous glacial ponds like Big Bowman Pond and Dyking Pond dot the higher elevations of Poestenkill and Grafton, marking the transition from the valley floor to the plateau.