1917 Map of Rochester

About this map

White River valley settlements define the orientation of this mountain landscape during the early twentieth century. This survey, conducted by R.B. Marshall and Frank Sutton, documents a time when the rural economy centered on small, dispersed hubs such as Rochester and Hancock. The map reveals a high concentration of district schools, including Stony Mill School, Texas School, and Jerusalem School, reflecting a time before school consolidation when local education was decentralized across the valleys. Resource extraction and forestry are evident through the presence of the Williams Mine and various camps such as Bingo Camp and Michigan Camp. The high peaks of the Green Mountains create a natural barrier, with critical passage limited to narrow points like Middlebury Gap and Brandon Gap, while the Tweed River and Hancock Branch dictate the path of early roads through the granite terrain.