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1915 Map of Hornell

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Hornell
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

The rail-driven growth of Hornell and the Canisteo River valley dominates this early 20th-century landscape, where industrial infrastructure meets the steep terrain of the Allegheny Plateau. Three distinct rail systems converge here: the Erie RR, the Pittsburgh Shawmut and Northern RR, and the Canisteo Electric RR, showcasing the transition from heavy steam rail to localized electric transit.

Beyond the urban core, the map reveals a dense network of rural school districts and hilltop farming hamlets. A remarkable concentration of schools, such as the Loon Lake School, Swamp School, and Turnpike School, are scattered across the surrounding highlands like Brownson Hill and Cream Hill. Water features including Loon Lake, Mud Lake, and the winding Canaseraga Creek break up the high ridges, illustrating the natural barriers that influenced early settlement patterns in towns like South Dansville and Haskinville.