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1919 Map of Franklin

Name: 1919 Topographic Map of Franklin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1919
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1919

About this map

The Charles River winds through the heart of this landscape, defining the industrial and social development of Norfolk County during the post-World War I era. Compiled under the direction of Col. W. M. Black for the Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, the survey details a dense network of towns and manufacturing hamlets such as City Mills, Unionville, and Rockville. This military-grade update of a U. S. G. S. base map illustrates the critical intersections of the period, particularly at rail hubs like Medfield Junc and Walpole Junction.

Elevated points including Mt. Nebo, Noon Hill, and Knickup Hill overlook the valley's complex hydrology, from the Neponset Reservoir to the numerous brooks powering local industry. The map captures the region's character just as the old textile and paper-milling economy remained central to community life in places like W. Medway and Bellingham, all positioned against the Massachusetts Rhode Island boundary line.