1944 Map of Pepperell

About this map

The Nashua River and its tributary, the Nissitissit River, dictate the settlement patterns of this 1940s borderland between New Hampshire and Massachusetts. At the center of the regional rail economy sits Hollis Depot, a vital junction on the Boston and Maine Railroad that once linked these rural communities to broader industrial markets. The map reveals a landscape transitioning from agrarian roots to mid-century development, marked by numerous family-named landmarks and historical cemeteries such as St Louis De Gonzague Cem and the Blood Cem. Significant wetland features like Reedy Meadow and Hawk Swamp dominate the lower eastern terrain, while named elevations like Proctor Hill and Blanchard Hill frame the river valleys. From the established town centers of Pepperell and East Pepperell to smaller crossroads like Hovey Corner, this survey documents the infrastructure of the Nashua River valley during the Second World War era.