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1953 Map of Blackstone

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Blackstone
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The Blackstone River valley serves as the industrial and transportation spine of this region during the mid-20th century, carrying the tracks of the New York New Haven and Hartford railroad through several dense mill settlements. This 1953 revision documents the post-war landscape of Mendon, Blackstone, and the northern edge of Woonsocket, where traditional village centers meet emerging car-culture landmarks like the Drive-in Theater and the Mendon Landing Field.

Genealogists will find a high density of burial grounds and religious sites, including the Chestnut Hill Meeting House, the Precious Blood Cem, and St Stanislaus Cem. The terrain is characterized by numerous small bodies of water such as Nipmuck Pond and Harris Pond, which historically powered the local economy. The transition from the rural woodlands of the Upton State Forest to the urban grid of the Hamlet district in Rhode Island illustrates the varying development patterns across the state line.