Loading map...

1897 Map of Castleton

Name: 1897 Topographic Map of Castleton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Lake Bomoseen dominates the western half of this Rutland County landscape, its waters punctuated by Rabbit Id. and Neshobee Id. near the lakeside settlement of Bomoseen. In the late 19th century, the region was a bustling corridor of industry and transit, defined by a complex network of rail lines including the Rutland R.R. and the Clarendon and Pittsford R.R.. These tracks served vital marble and slate centers like Proctor and West Rutland, connecting them to smaller outposts such as Florence and Hydeville.

Beyond the industrial valley of Otter Creek, the terrain rises into the Taconic and Green Mountain foothills, featuring prominent peaks like Bird Mountain and Herrick Mountain. The mapping captures numerous small hollows and brooks, such as Hampshire Hollow Brook and Moss Hollow Brook, which supported upland farming communities and settlements like Chippenhook and East Hubbardton. The intersection of rail, river, and mountain here illustrates a classic Vermont economy centered on natural resource extraction and early tourism at places like Clarendon Springs.