1900 Map of Peterboro

About this map

The Contoocook River and its numerous tributaries define the industrial and agricultural rhythm of Hillsborough County at the close of the 19th century. Surveyed in 1897, the landscape is dominated by the massive ridge of Pack Monadnock Mountain and North Pack Monadnock Mountain, where General Miller Park sits as a high-altitude landmark. The rail network is particularly dense here, featuring the Peterboro and Hillsboro RR and the Keene and Nashua RR, which facilitated movement between manufacturing centers like Peterboro and West Peterboro. Along the Souhegan River and the small valley settlements of Greenville and Wilton Center, the map reveals a complex web of local roads and family-named hills. Small water bodies like Otter Lake and Norway Pond dot the terrain, reflecting the post-glacial topography of southern New Hampshire before modern development altered these rural corridors.