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1893 Map of Meriden

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Meriden
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1898
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1898

About this map

Industrial expansion and rail connectivity dominate the landscape of central Connecticut in the late nineteenth century. The New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad and the New York New England Railroad form a complex web through manufacturing hubs like Bristol, New Britain, and Meriden. The map reveals the critical importance of water management for these growing towns, showing numerous bodies such as the Shuttle Meadow Reservoir, Hartford Reservoir, and Bristol Res..

Smaller settlements and station stops such as Polkville, Mixville, and Southington Road Sta. reflect the localized density of the era before modern suburbanization. Rugged landmarks like West Peak and Cat Hole Mt. provide a sharp contrast to the developed river valleys of the Quinnipac River and Farmington River. The survey also preserves the precise boundary line between Hartford and New Haven counties, marking the civic divisions of the day.