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1955 Map of Thiells

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Thiells
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The sprawling campus of the Letchworth Village State Mental Institution and the Happy Valley Institution for Needy Children define the institutional landscape of central Rockland County in the mid-1950s. This survey captures a moment when the rural character of the region was beginning to shift under the influence of the newly constructed Palisades Interstate Parkway. To the west, the heavily wooded terrain of the Harriman Section Palisades Interstate Park preserves older industrial and social markers, such as the Hogencamp Mine and the quiet File Factory Hollow.

The settlement pattern reflects a deeply rooted community history, anchored by religious landmarks like the Brick Church and St Johns Ch. Southward, the landscape transitions toward emerging residential centers like Viola and New City Park, while the eastern portion of the map showcases the rugged topography of Cheesecote Mtn and Ladentown Mountain. The map also meticulously documents numerous camps and social welfare facilities, including the Summit Park Sanatorium and several Boy Scout properties.