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1953 Map of Grafton

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Grafton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Blackstone River and Mumford River valley serves as the industrial and transportation corridor for this mid-century view of Worcester County. Industry and infrastructure are concentrated along these waterways, with the New York New Haven and Hartford RR threading through manufacturing villages like Fisherville and Farnumsville. This era captures a landscape in transition as the Massachusetts Turnpike appears on the map, carving through the northern section near Maplewood and the Grafton Airport.

Upland from the valley floors, the terrain is defined by numerous hills and family-named landmarks such as Keith Hill and Brigham Hill. The map meticulously records community anchors like the Grafton State Hospital and St Phillips Ch, while the southern reaches showcase the dramatic geology of Purgatory Chasm State Park. From the recreational waters of Lake Quinsigamond to the granite heights of Shining Rock, the sheet provides a detailed look at the region's post-war development.