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1893 Map of Derby

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Derby
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

The confluence of the Housatonic River and the Naugatuck River serves as the industrial and social nexus of this late-nineteenth-century Connecticut landscape. The twin cities of Birmingham and Derby, alongside Ansonia and Shelton, anchor the river valley where the Naugatuck Division New Haven and Hartford Railroad follows the water's edge. This 1889 survey reveals a densely settled corridor of manufacturing centers and rail hubs contrasted with the agricultural uplands of Southbury, Oxford, and Huntington.

Evidence of early water-powered industry is scattered throughout the hills, from Millville in the north to the many brooks like Eightmile Brook and Hockanum Brook that feed the primary rivers. Landmarks such as High Rock Grove and Tobys Rock Mtn overlook the winding rail lines, while numerous bridges including Zoar Bridge and Bennetts Bridge reflect the vital connectivity required for the region's movement of goods and people during this era of peak industrial expansion.