1956 Map of Cornwall

About this map

The Housatonic River carves a path through the northwestern corner of this mid-century survey, defining a landscape shaped by both the timber industry and outdoor recreation. Large tracts of protected land, including the Mohawk State Forest and Housatonic Meadows State Park, preserve significant ridges like Coltsfoot Mountain and Mohawk Mtn. The transport network reveals the era's reliance on both the New York New Haven and Hartford railroad and the burgeoning trail systems like the Appalachian Trail and Mattatuck Trail. Family-named corners such as Emmons Corners, Kellogg Corners, and Hitchcock Corners speak to the area's genealogical history, marking long-standing local settlements. This map captures a moment when traditional agrarian patterns and small villages like West Cornwall and West Goshen existed alongside established recreational camps and state-managed woodlands.