1899 Map of Silver Creek

About this map

Lake Erie defines the western edge of this 1898 survey, where the rugged shoreline meets a landscape dominated by the winding path of Cattaraugus Creek. This waterway serves as a natural corridor and a boundary for the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation, which occupies a significant portion of the interior. The late-century industrial growth of the region is evident in the dense network of competing rail lines that hug the coast, including the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern R. R. and the Pennsylvania R. R., connecting lakefront settlements like Silver Creek and Irving. Inland, the map reveals a more agrarian character centered around small hamlets such as Smiths Mills, Hanover Center, and Brant. The topography shows the complex drainage of the Lake Erie basin, with numerous smaller streams like Eighteen Mile Creek and Big Sister Creek carving deep channels through the townships of Evans and Hanover toward the lake.