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1900 Map of Blackstone

Name: 1900 Topographic Map of Blackstone
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

The Blackstone River serves as the industrial spine of this region, its waters fueling a dense network of mill towns and manufacturing centers at the turn of the century. From the sprawling village of Whitinsville to the rail hubs of Uxbridge and Blackstone, the landscape reflects a late-19th-century economy deeply integrated with water power and the Providence and Worcester R.R.. This survey, conducted primarily in 1886, reveals the intricate layout of numerous mill villages such as Fisherville, Farnumsville, and Saundersville clustered along the riverbanks.

Away from the industrial valley, the terrain rises into the highlands of Sutton and Upton, where landmarks like the Purgatory Chasm and numerous family-named peaks like Keith Hill and Leland Hill define the topography. The northern portion of the map showcases the extensive water management systems of the era, including the Westboro Reservoir and Whitehall Pond, which supported the growing urban needs of the Blackstone Valley corridor during this period of significant New England expansion.