1965 Map of Cannonsville Reservoir

About this map

The Cannonsville Reservoir dominates this Delaware County landscape, illustrating a period of significant hydrological change as the West Branch Delaware River was harnessed for the NY City Water Supply. The map reveals the interplay between the massive new reservoir and the longstanding rural geography of the Catskills foothills. While the rising waters submerged former valley lands, high points like Speedwell Mtn remained as prominent landmarks overlooking the new shoreline. In the south, the Erie-Lackawanna RR cuts through the terrain near Sanford, providing a critical transit link that skirts the edge of the State Forest Preserve. Small clusters of settlement persist at Kelsey and Apex, while numerous quarries dot the hillsides, signifying the local extraction industries of the era. The presence of recreational sites such as Camp Hilltop and Kingswood Camp reflects the region's evolving role as a summer destination centered around features like Russell Lake and Hathaway Pond.