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1896 Map of Mt. Washington

Name: 1896 Topographic Map of Mt. Washington
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1932
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1932

About this map

The presidential peaks of the White Mountain National Forest dominate this late 19th-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by both massive terrain and early mountain tourism. The iconic Mt. Washington Railroad climbs the western slope toward the summit, while a network of historic pathways like the Lowe Path and Air Line Path connect the high ridges of Mt. Adams and Mt. Madison.

Lower elevations show the density of Gilded Age resort life, anchored by grand hotels and lodges such as the Fabyan House, Mt Pleasant House, and Ravine House. The arrival of the Boston and Maine and Concord and Montreal railroads through the river valleys facilitated this growth, linking the settlements of Jefferson and Randolph to the wider region. Beyond the tourism hubs, the map preserves the complex political boundaries of the White Mountains, including the Thompson & Meserve Purchase and the Low & Burbank Grant.