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1944 Map of Fall River

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Fall River
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Industrial Fall River dominates this mid-century survey, its dense urban grid unfolding between the Taunton River and the expansive South Watuppa Pond. The city's 1940s landscape is defined by its deep-water access and manufacturing infrastructure, including the El Power Plant and various mills near Bleachery Pond. The geography reflects the era's dependence on rail and water, with the New York New Haven and Hartford RR threading through the city and across the Slades Ferry Bridge.

Across Mount Hope Bay, the terrain shifts to the more rural character of Swansea and Somerset, where smaller clusters like South Swansea and Pottersville appear. In Rhode Island, the map documents the settlements of North Tiverton and Tiverton, alongside landmarks like Mt Hope and the Pocasset Cedar Swamp. This sheet provides a clear record of the region’s development before the massive expansion of modern interstate highway systems altered the local landscape.