1940 Map of Bethel

About this map

The Androscoggin River winds through the heart of this Oxford County landscape, creating a fertile valley where settlements like Bethel, West Bethel, and Middle Intervale took root. This 1940 survey, revised from aerial photographs, shows a rural economy defined by river crossings and a network of district schoolhouses, including the Flat School, Mason School, and Peabody Sch. To the west, the boundaries of the White Mountain National Forest encompass numerous peaks such as Black Mtn and Barker Mtn, marking the transition from the valley's agricultural pockets to high mountain timberlands. Traces of local government and early social centers are visible in landmarks like the Town House near Albany, while smaller hamlets like Hastings and Gilead anchor the western reaches of the river corridor.