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1953 Map of Elmira

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Elmira
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Chemung River valley anchors this mid-century portrait of Chemung County, where industrial centers meet the steep, wooded hills of the Southern Tier. Elmira and Elmira Heights dominate the central valley, showing the dense urban grid of the era alongside landmarks like Elmira College and the Mark Twain Study. To the north, the town of Horseheads serves as a critical junction for the Erie Lackawanna and Pennsylvania railroads, which parallel Newtown Creek and the valley floors.

Researchers will find a landscape transitioning from the historical rural economy to a post-war suburban and industrial peak. While the valleys are filled with settlements like Southport and Big Flats, the surrounding uplands like Mount Zoar and Hawley Hill remain defined by small schools and cemeteries, such as the Quackenbush Sch and Oldfield Cem. The presence of the Woodlawn National Cem and the Mt Savior Monastery highlights the cultural and historical depth of the region at this time.