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1969 Map of Blackstone

Name: 1969 Topographic Map of Blackstone
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The Blackstone River and Mumford R define the industrial and residential geography of this borderland between Massachusetts and Rhode Island during the late 1960s. The map illustrates a landscape of established mill villages and emerging mid-century infrastructure, such as the Hopedale-Draper Airport and various pipelines. Traditional social centers remain prominent, including the Chestnut Hill Meeting House and Friends Mtg House, alongside newer developments like the Drive-in Theater near Ironstone.

Heavy industrial activity is evident near Woonsocket, where the Conrail line services a dense network of streets and schools like Sacred Heart Sch. Further north, the terrain shifts toward the managed woodlands of Upton State Forest and the hydraulic engineering of the West Hill Dam. This survey documents the transition of the Blackstone Valley from a primary manufacturing corridor toward a more diversified suburban and recreational landscape.