1898 Map of Olean

About this map

The industrial and transportation hub of Olean anchors this late 19th-century landscape, characterized by the dense convergence of the Allegheny River and several major railroads including the Erie R.R. and Penna. R.R.. This survey captures the region during a peak period of resource extraction, clearly marking an extensive field of Oil Tanks just west of the city center. To the north, the Oil Spring Indian Reservation sits near the headwaters of Oil Creek, while the southern hills lead to the distinctive geological formations of Rock City and Flatiron Rock near the New York Penna. Boundary Line. Small lumber and milling settlements like Westons Mills and Mill Grove dot the river valley, connected by the Narrow Gauge Div. rail line that winds through the steep terrain of Portville and Genesee.