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1946 Map of Orono

Name: 1946 Topographic Map of Orono
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1946
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1946

About this map

The Penobscot River and its western branch, the Stillwater River, define the industrial and academic core of this mid-1940s landscape. Between these waters lies Marsh Island, home to the sprawling University of Maine campus and the manufacturing centers of Old Town, Stillwater, and Great Works. The river's flow is punctuated by numerous islands like Orson Island and Boom Islands, indicating a history of timber management and river-driving commerce.

Away from the riverbanks, the terrain transitions into a mosaic of wetlands and ridges, including the expansive Sunkhaze Meadows and Chemo Bog. Local history is preserved in the numerous family-named landmarks and rural outposts, from the Old Gold Mine Trail in Milford to the Roosevelt YMCA Camp on Fitts Pond. The Maine Central RR tracks trace the river's path, connecting the mill towns to the broader rail network of the era.