1971 Map of Blue Hills

About this map

The Blue Hills reservation and its surrounding suburban centers in Norfolk County are documented here during a period of significant highway development. The landscape is defined by the high ground of Great Blue Hill, where the Observatory and Radio Towers (WGBH) stand as regional landmarks. This terrain transitions into the densely settled neighborhoods of Quincy, Milton, and Braintree, which are bisected by the Southeast Expressway. In the southern half of the map, the industrial and residential growth of Randolph, Holbrook, and Stoughton is evident, while the tracks of the Penn Central railroad maintain their historic corridors through these towns. Educational and religious institutions are prominent throughout the area, from Thayer Academy in Braintree to St Columbkilles Seminary near Milton. The presence of numerous Quarries and Gravel Pits reflects the area's geological legacy of stone extraction, particularly around South Quincy.