1953 Map of Newtown

About this map

Housatonic River curves through this mid-century landscape where Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven counties meet. The rail corridor of the New York New Haven and Hartford railroad connects the village of Newtown with the growing outlying settlements of Hawleyville and Sandy Hook. The map illustrates a transitional period in Western Connecticut, as agricultural hillsides like Taunton Hill and Sunset Hill exist alongside large-scale institutional developments, most notably the expansive grounds of the Fairfield State Hospital and the Southbury Training Sch. Numerous small cemeteries, such as Newton Cem and Pierce Hollow Cem, are documented alongside community anchors like Saint Rose church. The topography is defined by the convergence of the Shepaug River and Pomperaug River into the Housatonic, carving a path through terrain marked by landmarks like Obtuse Hill and Great Hill.