1903 Map of Raquette Lake

About this map

Brandreth Lake and the winding Forked Lake dominate this high-country landscape in the heart of the Adirondack Park. Surveyed at the close of the nineteenth century, the map reveals a network of remote waterways and peaks that defined the early recreational and logging history of Hamilton County. Small outposts like Camp and Fish Camp sit along the shorelines, while notable family-named features such as Whitney's Little Forked Lake suggest the era of private forest preserves. The terrain is a complex drainage basin of ponds and brooks, including Salmon Lake, Plumley Pond, and Lake Lila, all framed by prominent heights like Owlshead Mt. and Panther Mt. The absence of significant towns underscores the wilderness character of the region as it was managed by the State of New York Department of Public Works before the expansion of modern road systems.