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1954 Map of Petersham

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Petersham
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

Harvard Forest dominates the northern reaches of this mid-century landscape, surrounding the village of Petersham. This area of Worcester County reflects a period of significant reforestation and land management following the earlier creation of the Quabbin Reservoir, whose eastern waters reach into the southwestern corner of the map near Pottapaug Hill. The village center is home to the Maria Assumpta Academy and several historical burial sites, including the West Street Cem and East Street Cem.

The terrain is marked by numerous family-named peaks such as Camels Hump Hill and Loring Hill, alongside a network of wetlands like Hemingway Swamp and Higgins Swamp. To the south and west, the influence of the reservoir project is evident in the presence of an Aqueduct and the Gaging Sta. Isolated settlements and crossroads like Nichewaug and Bassets Corner serve as anchors for local genealogists tracing family roots in this rural Massachusetts interior.