1944 Map of North Collins

About this map

North Collins serves as the primary hub of this 1944 War Department survey, situated at the intersection of a detailed road network and the Erie railroad line. The map highlights the diverse landscape of southern Erie County, from the structured grid of the village to the deeply carved ravines of Hussey Gulf and Luther Gulf. To the southwest, a significant portion of the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation is visible, containing the complex of the Thomas Indian School and the settlement of Newtown. Along the winding course of Cattaraugus Creek, the map details the rural character of Versailles and the nearby Taylor Hollow. The cartography by the Corps of Engineers emphasizes both the natural drainage of Big Sister Creek and the man-made infrastructure of the era, including numerous family-named routes like Smith Derby Road and Marshfield Road that connected these small farming and residential communities during the mid-century.