1943 Map of Dunkirk

About this map

The industrial and maritime activity of Dunkirk anchors this wartime survey, showing the intricate network of rails that served the Lake Erie shoreline. Major carriers like the Pennsylvania and the Nickel Plate railroad intersect at the city, facilitating trade near the Pierhead and Gratiot Pt. Moving inland, the landscape shifts toward the undulating hills of Chautauqua County, where the spiritualist community of Lily Dale sits between Upper Lake and Middle Lake. The map details numerous small agricultural and rail-stop settlements such as Cushing (PO), Cordova, and Lamberton. To the south, the headwaters of Cassadaga Creek and the northern tip of Chautauqua Lake at Hartfield illustrate the transition from the lake plain to the interior highlands, providing a clear view of the regional topography before mid-century development altered the rural character of the Pomfret and Stockton townships.