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1896 Map of Crawford Notch

Name: 1896 Topographic Map of Crawford Notch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1927
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1927

About this map

Crawford Notch and the surrounding White Mountain high country are defined here by early tourism and the intensive industrial demands of the late nineteenth century. The legendary Crawford House stands near Saco Lake, serving as a gateway for travelers, while the Willey House sits further south within the notch. This era saw the ascent of the Maine Central R. R. through the steep mountain passes, a feat of engineering signaled by landmarks like Frankenstein Cliff.

Logging operations heavily influenced the landscape, evidenced by the Lumber R. R. extending through Livermore and the network of drainages like the Sawyer River and Swift River used for timber transport. The map details a transition from the wild peaks of the Rosebrook Mountains and Mt. Carrigain to the settled valley at Bartlett, where the river and rail lines converge. Diverse water features, from the remote Thoreau Falls to the high Zealand Pond, highlight the complex topography of these New Hampshire land grants.