1895 Map of Elmira

About this map

The Chemung River valley serves as the industrial and transportation corridor for the Southern Tier in the late 19th century, dominated by the dense urban grid of Elmira. This survey shows the region as a major railroad hub where the Lehigh Valley R. R., Northern Central R. R., and the Delaware Lackawanna and Western R. R. converge. To the north, Horseheads and Elmira Heights appear as established settlements linked by the Electric R. R., while the southern reaches near the Pennsylvania border are defined by family-named hamlets like Webb Mills and Seely. The landscape is a sharp contrast between the flat, developed valley floors and the steep elevations of Mount Zoar and Hawley Hill. Notable landmarks such as the Big Island in the river and the river crossing at Fitch Bridge provide specific points of interest for local history researchers.