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1951 Map of Harford

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Harford
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

Birthplace of John D Rockefeller sits within the rural landscape of southern Cortland County during the mid-twentieth century. This survey documents the topographic character of the Southern Tier region, where the Lehigh Valley railroad cuts through the valley floor, connecting the settlements of Harford and Harford Mills. The terrain is defined by a series of steep ridges and hollows, including Babcock Hollow and Robinson Hollow, with high points such as Virgil Mtn rising above the creek beds.

The agricultural and transit patterns of the era are visible in the network of township roads like Slatersville Road and Greek Peak Road that follow the natural contours of the hills. Small upland intersections like Franks Corners represent the localized nodes of activity that persisted as the railroad-driven economy evolved. The map also traces the headwaters and drainage of the East Branch Owego Creek and Virgil Creek, which dictated the early settlement patterns of the Virgil, Harford, and Richford town lines.