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1956 Map of Penacook

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Penacook
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The confluence of the Pemigewasset River and the Winnipesaukee River forms the headwaters of the Merrimack River at Franklin, a central hub for industrial and agricultural activity in the mid-1950s. The landscape is deeply tied to the legacy of one of its most famous residents, marked by the Daniel Webster Birthplace and the Daniel Webster Home for Children nearby. Transportation networks define the valley, with the Boston and Maine Railroad and the Claremont and Concord Railway tracking the watercourses through towns like Boscawen and Tilton.

Institutional and community landmarks are scattered across the rolling hills, from the Kezer Seminary in Canterbury to the State Forest Nursery and State Forest Experimental Station. Small crossroads settlements and family-named locations such as Thompson Corner, Dingit Corner, and Snyders Mill suggest a rural social geography that persisted even as larger centers like Penacook and Northfield grew. The presence of numerous lakes and ponds, including Webster Lake and Winnisquam Lake, supported early recreation at spots like the YMCA Camp and Gardners Grove.