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1938 Map of Olean

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Olean
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Allegheny River valley serves as the industrial and transportation corridor for this region of New York and Pennsylvania just before the mid-century. Significant infrastructure for the petroleum industry is evident, including clusters of Oil Tanks near Allegany and Olean, and the nearby Oil Spring Indian Reservation which hints at the area's geological legacy. The arrival of the Erie and Pennsylvania railroads transformed the local economy, connecting smaller settlements like Westons Mills and Hinsdale to larger markets.

Terrain features such as Rock City and Typnahda Mountain define the upland areas, while the valley floor is occupied by early aviation at the Olean Airport and the expanding footprints of North Olean and East Olean. This survey, based on 1938 aerial photography, provides a clear view of the rural-industrial landscape before the development of modern interstate highways, showing a dense network of local roads and watercourses like Ischua Creek and Little Genesee Creek.