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1953 Map of Grafton

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Grafton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Blackstone River valley dominates this mid-century landscape, tracing a corridor of industrial villages and water-powered history. Settlements like Fisherville, Saundersville, and Farnumsville cluster along the riverbanks, where numerous impoundments such as Fisherville Pond and Rockdale Pond provided power for earlier mill operations. The transportation network is defined by the New Haven and Hartford and Providence and Worcester railroads, which parallel the river's path, connecting these manufacturing hubs to larger markets.

Institutional and natural landmarks are prominent, from the sprawling grounds of the Grafton State Hospital to the geological curiosity of Purgatory Chasm State Park. Genealogists will find a wealth of local burial sites, including the Indian Cem near Grafton and the Friends Cem in the south. The map also captures the early post-war aviation era with the Grafton Airport located just south of Maplewood, set against a backdrop of wooded hills like Keith Hill and George Hill.