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1953 Map of Elmira

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Elmira
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

Elmira and its surrounding river valley are captured here just after the post-war expansion, showing a landscape defined by an extensive rail network and industrial centers. The Chemung River cuts through the heart of the city, flanked by the Erie RR and the Lehigh Valley RR, which facilitated the region's growth as a manufacturing hub. Notable institutional landmarks are prominently featured, including the Elmira Reformatory and Elmira College, reflecting the area's established social and educational infrastructure.

South of the city, the terrain transitions into the steep hills of Southport and Ashland, where smaller communities like Pine City and Rosstown are situated along Seeley Creek. This area is dotted with local schoolhouses such as Mtn View Road Sch and Christian Hollow Sch, providing a detailed look at rural settlement patterns before modern suburban consolidation. The map also records numerous local burial grounds, from the large Woodlawn Cemetery to smaller family-named sites like Fitzsimmons Cem.