1944 Map of Lawrence

About this map

The Merrimack River bisects this mid-1940s landscape, serving as the industrial and geographic anchor for the densely developed city of Lawrence. This survey captures the urban core during a period of significant density, showing the tight grid of the Court House district and the expansive Boston and Maine Railroad network that fueled the region's textile era. To the north, Methuen transitions from town streets to the hills of Meetinghouse Hill and Daddy Frye Hill, while south across the river, the planned character of Shawsheen Village and the academic grounds of Phillips Academy in Andover contrast with the industrial riverfront. This map is particularly valuable for its density of civic institutions, from the St Francis Seminary to the Radio Sta Wlaw, alongside a sprawling collection of ethnic and religious burial grounds including Lithuanian Cem, Polish Cem, and Sts Peter & Paul Cem.