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1901 Map of Old Forge

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Old Forge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1909
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1909

About this map

Old Forge serves as the gateway to the central Adirondack wilderness in this early century survey, which highlights the area's transition into a premier recreation destination. The Fulton Chain R. R. and the N. Y. C. and H. R. R. R. (Adirondack Division) define the transportation network, connecting remote camps and lodges to the outside world. This map documents a unique era of travel, specifically marking the Steamboat Route and First Route through the Chain Lakes, showing how water and rail worked in tandem before the age of the automobile.

Private settlements and sporting retreats like Mountain Lodge, Bisby Lodge, and Proctor Camp are scattered across a landscape of peaks such as Pico Mountain and Panther Mountain. To the south, near Atwell, the map traces the intricate headwaters of the North Branch Moose River and Middle Branch Moose River, revealing the location of the Swanson Dam and various specialized camps such as Beecher Camp.