1938 Map of Olean

About this map

The Allegheny River and Olean Creek form the industrial and geographic spine of this region during the late 1930s. The city of Olean sits at a major transit junction, where the Pennsylvania and Erie railroads intersect, supported by a network of local energy infrastructure including clusters of Oil Tanks and the Olean Airport. To the north, the Oil Spring Indian Reservation and Cuba Lake mark the landscape, while numerous smaller settlements like Westons Mills, Hinsdale, and Portville follow the river valleys. The topography is defined by significant elevations such as Tynhanda Mountain and geological landmarks like Flatiron Rock and Rock City, illustrating the transition from the river bottomlands to the high ridges of the New York-Pennsylvania borderlands.