1946 Map of Petersham

About this map

Petersham and the surrounding Worcester County highlands are defined by the transformative expansion of the Quabbin Reservoir during the mid-1940s. This survey, conducted by the Geological Survey and the Army Corps of Engineers, illustrates the dramatic reorganization of the landscape as water levels rose to create a vital metropolitan resource. The shoreline traces the feet of Pottapaug Hill and Whitney Hill, while the Quabbin Aqueduct represents the invisible industrial infrastructure moving water eastward. Inland, the town of Petersham remains a cluster of hilltop life, connected to rural outposts like Nichewaug and Bassets Corner by a network of winding roads including Washburn Road and Amidon Drive. The drainage patterns of Moccasin Brook and the East Branch Swift River highlight the complex watershed that feeds the central reservoir, interspersed with named wetlands like Higgins Swamp and Hemingway Swamp.