1893 Map of Delavan

About this map

Delavan Lake and the western reaches of Lake Geneva anchor this 1890s survey of Walworth County, capturing the region's transition from a collection of isolated farmsteads to a connected resort and agricultural hub. The township grids are firmly established, yet the landscape remains dominated by glacial features, including the sprawling marshes around Sugar Creek and Turtle Creek. The primary economic engine of the era is clearly visible in the path of the Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, which intersects with the Chicago and Northwestern R. R. to link towns like Elkhorn and Delavan to broader markets. On the shores of Williams Bay, early development is evident near Fontana, while smaller hamlets like Millard, Tibbet, and Fayetteville serve as local crossroads for the surrounding dairy and grain farmers. This map documents the early infrastructure of the lakes region before the modern expansion of summer estates and intensive shoreline development.