1887 Map of Marlboro

About this map

Clinton and Marlboro anchor this late 19th-century landscape of industrial growth and critical water infrastructure. The Wachusett Reservoir Met. W.W. and the Metropolitan Waterworks Aqueduct dominate the western terrain, reflecting the massive engineering efforts required to supply water to the growing metropolitan region. The map reveals an intricate network of rail lines, including the Old Colony R.R. and the Boston and Albany Railroad, which connect manufacturing hubs like Westboro and Southville. Local landmarks of institutional history are clearly marked, such as the Westboro Insane Hospital near Chauncy Pond and the Lyman School. Numerous family-named hills, such as Whittemore Hill and Sawyer Hill, highlight the persistent agricultural character that remained between the burgeoning rail towns and river valleys of the Nashua River and Assabet River.