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1944 Map of Grafton

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

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Grafton State Hospital and the adjacent Grafton Airport occupy the northern landscape of this mid-1940s survey, illustrating a period of institutional expansion and early aviation development in Worcester County. The Blackstone River serves as the industrial and social spine of the region, its course punctuated by mill ponds and specialized settlements like Fisherville, Saundersville, and Farnumsville. This valley network is closely mirrored by the New York New Haven and Hartford RR, which facilitated the movement of goods between these production centers.

Local history is deeply etched into the terrain through numerous family-named landmarks such as Brigham Hill, Leland Hill, and Keith Hill. For genealogists, the map preserves the locations of several small burial grounds, including Johns Cem, Armsby Cem, and Dodge Cem. Educational and state resources are also visible, from the Harback Sch in Sutton to the State Fish Hatchery near the Shrewsbury border.