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1895 Map of Ithaca

Name: 1895 Topographic Map of Ithaca
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1906
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1906

About this map

Ithaca anchors the northeast corner of this Finger Lakes landscape, where the Lehigh Valley Railroad skirts the edge of Cayuga Lake. The terrain is defined by deep glacial gorges and dramatic drops, including the waters of Buttermilk Falls and the secluded Enfield Falls. These features illustrate the dramatic elevation changes that characterize the region south of the lake, where numerous small brooks like Williams Brook and Lick Brook carve through the plateau.

Settlement patterns in the late nineteenth century follow the high ground and creek valleys, with established hamlets such as Newfield, Mecklenburg, and Perry City serving as local hubs. In the southwest, the Pony Hollow Creek valley creates a natural corridor through the hills, leading toward Spencer Lake. The map also documents a vital Steamboat Route on Cayuga Lake, connecting the docks at Mc Kinney and Glenwood to the wider trade networks of New York.