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1908 Map of Potsdam

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Potsdam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

The Raquette River and West Branch St. Regis River carve through this landscape in St. Lawrence County, providing the water power that drove the development of towns like Potsdam and Parishville. In the early twentieth century, the region's economy is clearly defined by its industrial geography, with the New York Central Railroad connecting northern settlements while numerous falls, such as Allens Falls and Whitaker Falls, mark the transition into the Adirondack foothills.

Rural life is anchored by a network of district schools, including the Old Forge School, Hayes School, and Crane School, which served the scattered farming communities of Stockholm and Pierrepont. To the south, the terrain becomes more varied around Whites Hill and High Flats, where the wilderness of the Adirondack Park begins to influence the settlement patterns. Family names remain preserved in landmarks such as Browns Bridge and small hamlets like Stafford Corners, offering a detailed view of the county before modern infrastructure transformed these river valleys.