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1908 Map of Piseco Lake

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Piseco Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1918
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1918

About this map

The waters of Piseco Lake dominate this survey of the southern Adirondack wilderness, where isolated 19th-century settlements like Piseco and Rudeston cling to the shoreline. The landscape is defined by the sharp verticality of Panther Mtn and Echo Cliff, rising abruptly above the lake. Away from the water, the map reveals a rugged interior of unnamed timberlands and family-named clearings such as Powley Place, Averys Place, and Shaker Place, suggesting a sparse network of logging camps and remote homesteads connected by early trails.

Water management and natural drainage are evident in the complex flow of West Canada Creek and the numerous high-altitude basins like Metcalf Lake and Morehouse Lake. Landmarks like Mountain House and Clockmill Corners anchor the small human presence in this densely wooded terrain, while features like Goldmine Hill and T Lake Falls point to the area's early industrial curiosity and its lasting character as a primitive forest preserve at the start of the 20th century.