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1950 Map of Elmira

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Elmira
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

The Finger Lakes of New York dominate this mid-century landscape, where deep glacial basins like Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake, and Keuka Lake dictate the region's north-south orientation. Along the shores and ridges, industrial and agricultural hubs such as Elmira, Ithaca, and Auburn appear as established centers of commerce. A massive federal footprint is visible at the Seneca Ordnance Depot between the lakes, a site of significant military logistics during and after the war years.

Transport networks are defined by the heavy rail lines that trace the river valleys, including the Erie RR and Lehigh Valley RR, while the nascent New York State Thruway reflects the early post-war shift toward high-speed automotive travel. The terrain rises sharply to the south, marked by prominent landmarks like Connecticut Hill and Alma Hill, contrasting with the more level plains toward Syracuse in the northeast.