Loading map...

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

Industrial villages and hilltop farms characterize this mid-century landscape along the Blackstone River. The river powers a series of connected mill settlements, from Saundersville and Fisherville down to Northbridge, where substantial infrastructure like Fisherville Pond and Rockdale Pond supported local manufacturing. Along the northern edge, the Grafton State Hospital occupies a sprawling campus near North Grafton, while the presence of the Grafton Airport and the Boston and Albany RR reflect the era's evolving transportation network.

Genealogists will find numerous family and parish burial grounds, including St Johns Cem, Dodge Cem, and St Patrick Cem. The terrain is marked by prominent named elevations such as Keith Hill, Brigham Hill, and the distinctive Shining Rock. Conservation and public works are evident through the State Fish Hatchery and early regional sewage infrastructure, showing a transition toward modern municipal management amidst the traditional New England town structures of Grafton and West Upton.