1969 Map of Big Flats

About this map

The Chemung River corridor dominates this late-1960s landscape, serving as a vital transportation artery where the Erie-Lackawanna and Penn Central railroads converge near Big Flats. This era shows the community in a state of mid-century development, anchored by the Chemung County Airport and a growing network of roads like Route 17. North of the river, the terrain rises sharply into named peaks such as Townley Hill and Martin Hill, where older rural patterns persist at Smith Corners and Tompkins Corners. The map provides significant genealogical value, documenting several small burial grounds including Rural Home Cem and Whitney Cem, alongside industrial markers like the Sand and Gravel Pit near East Corning. This survey captures the transition between the industrial rail era and the modern regional infrastructure of the Southern Tier.