1948 Map of Tonawanda

About this map

The Tuscarora Indian Reservation and the industrial corridors of the Niagara River define this 1940s-era landscape. The map illustrates a complex network of transportation and water management, where the Erie Canal flows toward the Niagara River Tonawanda Channel. Settlement patterns follow the distinct elevation changes of Ridge Road, Upper Mountain Road, and Lower Mountain Road, which separate the agricultural lowlands of Porter Center and Ransomville from the higher terrain. Aviation history is prominent with the Niagara Falls Municipal Airport and smaller fields like Shawnee Airport and County Line Airport. Local genealogy is well-represented through dozens of numbered school districts and family-named cemeteries, including Bear Ridge Cem and the expansive White Chapel Memorial Cemetery, reflecting the dense communal history of Erie and Niagara counties during this post-war period.