Map of the Villages of Bellevue, Niagara Falls and Elgin

Cartographer: Theodore D. Judah, Civil Engineer; lithographed by Compton & Gibson, Buffalo, 1854

Year: 1854

Judah’s 1854 plat lays out three interlocking townsites on the east bank of the Niagara River just above the cataract. Fine linework shows every proposed street, numbered block, individual lot, and public square, while survey bearings and measured distances tie the plan to existing property lines. A bold canal cut parallels the river, channeling water to future mills before discharging below the gorge. Insets profile the canal prism and river cross-section, underscoring the scheme’s industrial ambitions. Soundings in the river channel, ferry landings, and a tiny steamboat vignette highlight the importance of navigation. Surrounding farm lots are keyed to original patent numbers, bridging the new grid to earlier surveys. The map captures the speculative boom that preceded large-scale hydro development at Niagara Falls.