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1932 Map of Exeter

Name: 1932 Topographic Map of Exeter
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Phillips Exeter Academy and the historic settlement of Exeter anchor the northwest corner of this coastal landscape, where the Squamscott River begins its winding path toward the Atlantic. The survey captures a transition in maritime life, documenting both the Newburyport Light and a U.S. Life Saving Station along the shifting sands of the Plum Island River. Farther inland, the industrial and educational foundations of the region are evident through institutions like Dearborn Academy and the extensive network of the Boston and Maine Railroad.

The coastal geography is defined by rocky points and popular reaches including Little Boars Head, Rye Beach, and Plaice Cove. Along the Merrimack River, the dense grid of Newburyport contrasts with the surrounding agricultural hills and ridges such as Moulton Ridge and Gove Hill. This data represents a composite of 19th-century ground surveys and modern 20th-century aerial photography, preserving the layout of crossroads like Nason Corners and Smithtown before mid-century suburbanization.