1893 Map of Carmel

About this map

Tilly Foster Mine serves as a focal point for this survey of the Highlands and the developing Croton watershed in the 1890s. The map captures a critical transition as the region's natural hydrology was being reshaped into a system of reservoirs to serve New York City, including the Middle Branch Reservoir, Bog Brook Reservoir, and East Branch Reservoir. Railroads like the New York and New England RR and the New York and Northern RR crisscross the landscape, linking established hubs like Brewster and Carmel to the wider metropolitan economy. Local industry and settlement patterns are visible in the placement of Coles Mills and Farmer Mills, while the numerous lakes and ponds, such as Lake Mahopac and Lake Gilead, highlight the area's emerging character as a retreat from the city. The detailed terrain relief documents the complex topography of Putnam and Westchester counties at the end of the nineteenth century.