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1997 Map of West Shokan

Name: 1997 Topographic Map of West Shokan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2001
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2001

About this map

The Ashokan Reservoir dominates the northeastern landscape of this map, reflecting the early 20th-century transformation of the Catskills into a critical water supply for New York City. Surrounding the reservoir, the vast Catskill State Park and State Forest Preserve protect a series of high peaks, including Friday Mtn and Mombaccus Mtn. The terrain is deeply incised by waters such as the Bush Kill and Rondout Creek, which historically dictated the placement of small hamlets and timber-based industries.

Settlements like West Shokan, Samsonville, and Palentown are tucked along the valley floors, connected by narrow mountain roads. For local historians, the Palentown Cem and a small Mine in Maltby Hollow offer tangible evidence of rural life and early extraction efforts in these isolated gaps. The map reveals a landscape caught between its role as a protected wilderness and a settled rural corridor, evidenced by family-named landmarks such as Samuels Point and Brodhead.