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1930 Map of Cardigan

Name: 1930 Topographic Map of Cardigan
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1930
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1930

About this map

Mt Cardigan dominates the high granite terrain of this 1930 survey, a landscape defined by sharp elevation changes and the early industrial footprint of New Hampshire's mica industry. The Alexandria Mica Mines and local infrastructure like Fords Mill reflect a period when rural economies were deeply tied to the land's mineral and timber resources. Settlement patterns follow the valley floors and rail lines, particularly concentrated around the Boston and Maine Railroad which serves Grafton Center and the Grafton Sta.

To the east, Newfound Lake provides a distinct geographical anchor, with its shoreline featuring Whittemore Point and Belle Point. The distribution of one-room schoolhouses, such as the Riverside Sch and North Hood Sch, across the towns of Alexandria and Groton offers a clear view of the dispersed rural community structure before mid-century consolidation. The presence of the Welton Falls State Forest marks an early era of state-level conservation amidst these working landscapes.