1936 Map of Groton

About this map

The Nashua River and its various tributaries carve through this New England landscape, defining the industrial and social development of towns across the Massachusetts and New Hampshire border. In Groton, the prestigious Groton School stands near the riverbanks, while further south, the Shaker Village at Shirley reflects the distinct communal living patterns of the era. The region is heavily marked by its 1930s rail infrastructure, with the Boston and Maine RR, the Fitchburg RR, and the Boston and Lowell RR intersecting at the busy junction of Ayer. This network supported numerous mill settlements and station hamlets like Townsend Harbor and Paper Mill Village. Along the Squannacook River and Nissitissit River, clusters of development in East Pepperell and Townsend highlight how water power and rail access dictated the settlement density of the Nashua Valley.