Loading map...

1892 Map of Kaaterskill

Name: 1892 Topographic Map of Kaaterskill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Catskill Mountains define the character of this late 19th-century landscape, where a sophisticated network of early mountain railways and resort parks met the farming valleys of Greene and Ulster Counties. The engineering of the day is prominently featured, including the Otis Elevating R.R. and the Stony Clove and Catskill Mountain R.R., which provided access to the region's famed retreats.

Settlement patterns show a distinct divide between established agricultural communities like Beaches Corner and Bearsville and the specialized mountain enclaves of Onteora Park and Twilight Park. Several rural post offices, such as Platt Clove P.O. and Wittenberg P.O., anchor the smaller hamlets. Landmark destinations like the Mountain House on the escarpment above Palenville illustrate the era's booming tourism industry before the rise of the automobile changed the landscape of the Catskills.