1977 Map of Blue Hills

About this map

The Blue Hills Range dominates the northern landscape of this orthophotoquad, providing a stark visual contrast between the wooded highlands and the expanding residential and commercial footprints of the late 1970s. Produced from aerial photography taken in April 1977, this document captures the southern suburbs of Boston as they integrated into the larger metropolitan network. The dense settlement patterns of Quincy and Braintree are clearly visible, showing the post-war suburban development that defined this era. Farther south, the townships of Randolph, Stoughton, and Avon are depicted with their characteristic mix of local road networks and larger arterial highways. This 1:25,000 scale survey by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Works offers a detailed photographic record of land use, from the forested conservation lands of Milton to the clustered neighborhoods of Holbrook.