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1953 Map of Elmira

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Elmira
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Chemung River cuts a wide path through the valley, anchoring a landscape where rail lines and urban growth meet the rising hills of the Southern Tier. In the early 1950s, the city is a hub of institutional and industrial life, evidenced by the large complex of the Elmira Reformatory and the sprawling campus of Elmira College. Dense residential blocks are peppered with neighborhood anchors like School No 11 and St Patricks Sch, while the massive Woodlawn Cemetery occupies a significant portion of the northern heights.

Beyond the city core, the geography shifts toward the rural-to-suburban character of Southport and West Elmira. The rail network is particularly dense here, featuring the Erie RR, Lehigh Valley RR, and the Pennsylvania RR navigating the valley floor. To the south, narrow valleys like Christian Hollow and the drainage of Seeley Creek lead toward the Chemung Co Bradford Co line, showing a world of family farms and small schoolhouses like The Little Sch.