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1900 Map of Dryden

Name: 1900 Topographic Map of Dryden
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Cornell University stands prominently on the eastern edge of Ithaca, overlooking a landscape defined by the deep valleys of Fall Creek and Cascadilla Creek. This late 19th-century survey reveals the dense network of rail lines that once powered the regional economy, including the Lehigh Valley and the Elmira and Cortland Branch. These tracks connected small rural hubs like Caroline Depot and Cortland Junction, facilitating the transport of goods across the complex topography of Turkey Hill and Bald Mt..

The map details numerous small communities such as Slaterville Springs, Brookton, and Willseyville, each positioned along the vital watercourses and rail corridors. To the northeast, the village of Dryden and nearby Dryden Lake anchor a productive agricultural and industrial district. This document captures the transition from isolated rural hamlets to a more integrated economy, as seen in the clustered growth of Forest Home and Etna near the expanding university campus.