1941 Map of Fryeburg

About this map

Kezar Lake and its intricate bays dominate the center of this Maine landscape, reflecting the glacial topography of the Oxford County region. This 1941 edition, compiled from aerial photography by the Air Corps, shows a dense network of rural schoolhouses such as Foxboro Sch, Union Hill Sch, and Burnham Sch scattered among the hills, serving small agricultural and timber communities like Stow, Sweden, and North Lovell. The complex drainage of the Saco River and Charles River creates a maze of oxbows and islands including Loon I and Birch I. To the south, the massive profile of Pleasant Mountain rises sharply above Moose Pond, while the Battle Monument near Fryeburg stands as a permanent marker of local heritage. The map documents the boundary of the White Mountain National Forest as it extends into the western hills, preserving a moment before mid-century development altered these settlement patterns.