1944 Map of Blackstone

About this map

The Blackstone River carves through the heart of this mid-century industrial and agricultural landscape, tracing a path through Millville and Blackstone toward the bustling northern edge of Woonsocket. During the early 1940s, this border region between Massachusetts and Rhode Island was a complex network of manufacturing centers and rural hills. The New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad follows the river valley, serving the mills of Waterford and Slatersville. Higher ground reveals a quieter history, anchored by the Chestnut Hill Meeting House and Chestnut Hill Sch. Aviation infrastructure of the era is evident at the Mendon Landing Field and its nearby Airway Beacon, while numerous sacred sites like Friends Ch and St Michael Ukrainian Cem reflect the diverse communities that settled in the valley's shadow.