1946 Map of Newton

About this map

The Charles River winds through a dense landscape of mid-century suburban expansion and established institutions in this post-war study of the Boston periphery. Suburban developments like Hancock Village and Oak Hill Park appear alongside academic and social landmarks, including Lasell College, the Newton Theological Institution, and the Perkins Institution for Blind. The map documents a complex infrastructure of transit and public utility, showing the paths of the Boston and Albany RR and the New York New Haven and Hartford RR as they connect the villages of Newton Center, Waban, and Needham. Notable for genealogists are numerous interment sites such as Calvary Cem, Holyhood Cem, and Mt Benedict Cem. Large recreational and natural spaces like the Arnold Arboretum and the Chestnut Hill Reservoir provide a green contrast to the grid of thoroughfares like Commonwealth Ave and the Worcester Turnpike.