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1898 Map of Rochester

Name: 1898 Topographic Map of Rochester
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1911
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1911

About this map

The Rochester riverfront and the Irondequoit Bay shoreline define this landscape at a time when the region served as a massive rail and canal junction. The Genesee River flows north toward Lake Ontario, flanked by a dense network of transit lines including the Rochester and Sodus Bay Electric R.R. and the Rome Watertown and Ogdensburg R.R.. The Erie Canal cuts through the heart of the city and continues east toward Pittsford, showing the historic waterway before modern re-routings.

Industrial and suburban growth is evident in outlying settlements like Charlotte at the river's mouth and Barnard Crossing to the west. To the south, the terrain softens into the drumlins and basins near Mendon Pond and the Rush Reservoir, while prominent elevations like Pinnacle Hill and Cobb Hill rise above the developing street grid. This survey documents the intricate web of steam and electric railroads, such as the New York Central and Hudson River R.R., that linked these Genesee Valley towns during their peak industrial era.