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1997 Map of Ipswich

Name: 1997 Topographic Map of Ipswich
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1999
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1999

About this map

Ipswich and the surrounding Essex County marshlands are defined by a complex network of coastal waterways including the Plum Island Sound, Ipswich River, and the Parker River. This late-twentieth-century landscape preserves significant tracts of conservation land, notably the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and Willowdale State Forest. The map documents the persistent layout of historic colonial settlements like Rowley and Topsfield, while highlighting institutional landmarks such as the Governor Dummer Academy and the USAF Geophysics Lab Radio Observatory.

Coastal geography remains central to the area's character, with Little Neck and the Ipswich Light marking the transition to the Atlantic Ocean. For genealogists, the map identifies several local resting places, including the Byfield Cem and Rowley Burial Ground. The Boston and Maine railroad line continues to provide a corridor for transport through the inland woods and wetlands, connecting the scattered hamlets of South Byfield, Glen Mills, and Pinefield.