Loading map...

1902 Map of Indian Lake

Name: 1902 Topographic Map of Indian Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1906
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1906

About this map

Indian Lake dominates the central topography of this Hamilton County landscape, its long, narrow profile carved between high peaks like Snowy Mt. and Porter Mt.. This 1906 reprint of the original 1902 survey illustrates the Adirondack wilderness at a time when accessibility was defined by remote logging camps and early seasonal outposts. Along the southern edge, the settlement of Speculator provides a rare point of permanent habitation, while the interior is dotted with primitive sites like Camp Perkins and Camp Comfort.

Hydrological engineering of the era is evident at the Wakely Dam, which regulates the Cedar River Flow in the northwest. The map captures the intricate network of brooks and smaller basins, such as Lewey Lake and Mason Lake, that feed the larger watershed. For researchers, the inclusion of numerous named summits like Potash Mt. and Kunjamuk Mt. alongside established "BM" benchmark elevations offers a precise record of the regional terrain before mid-century recreational development.