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1894 Map of Burrillville

Name: 1894 Topographic Map of Burrillville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

The industrial and mill-town character of late 19th-century Rhode Island is deeply etched into this landscape, where the Branch River and Woonasquatucket River power numerous settlements. Villages such as Slatersville, Harrisville, and Pascoag appear as dense hubs of activity within the larger towns of Burrillville and Glocester. The terrain is defined by a high density of water management features, including the Pascoag Reservoir, Smith and Sayles Reservoir, and Oak Swamp Reservoir, reflecting a century of damming for manufacturing.

Further south in Scituate and Foster, the map reveals a more dispersed, upland settlement pattern marked by prominent rises like Chopmist Hill and Durfee Hill. The eastern edge transitions toward the growing urban center of Woonsocket, while interior hamlets like Chepachet and Harmony sit along established turnpikes. This survey, conducted by J.H. Jennings under the direction of Henry Gannett, captures the state's complex network of rural reservoirs and mill villages before 20th-century consolidations.