1920 Map of Damascus

About this map

The Delaware River serves as the central artery of this 1920 survey, marking the jagged boundary between Pennsylvania and New York. The landscape is defined by a dense network of early 20th-century rural infrastructure, including an Oil Pumping Station near Cochecton and the Erie Railroad tracing the eastern riverbank. The river valley is punctuated by small hamlets like Milanville and Narrowsburg, while the surrounding uplands of Damascus and Oregon townships are dotted with family-named schools such as Kester School and Burcher School. This era shows a high density of local educational and religious centers, such as St Josephs Church, indicating a peak of settled rural life before the mid-century shift toward larger consolidated townships. Many water bodies, including Beach Lake and Welcome Lake, reflect the region's developing character as a recreational and residential destination.