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1953 Map of Rathbone

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Rathbone
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Canisteo River valley dominates the landscape of Steuben County in the early 1950s, serving as the primary corridor for both the Erie RR and local industry. The settlement of Rathbone sits at the southern bend of the river, while Cameron Mills marks the western edge of this transport-driven valley. The surrounding uplands are defined by a network of rural routes like Forty Dollar Road and Cranberry Lake Road, which connect high-altitude landmarks such as Cameron Hill to small community hubs like South Thurston.

Local life is anchored by family-named sites and rural institutions, including the Aldrich Sch and Town Line Ch. The mapping reveals a pastoral character where small water bodies like Thurston Pond and Goodhue Lake dot the hillsides between the larger drainages of Michigan Creek and Tracy Creek. This era shows the transition of Steuben County as it maintained its traditional farming footprint even as the railroad continued to shape the valley floor.