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1949 Map of Portland

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Portland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Portland and the jagged shoreline of Casco Bay anchor the northeastern corner of this postwar regional study. The coastal landscape is defined by its maritime infrastructure, featuring several defensive installations including Fort Williams, Fort Preble, and Fort Levett guarding the harbor approaches. Inland, the map reveals a complex network of freshwater bodies such as Lake Winnipesaukee, Sebago Lake, and Squam Lake, which dominate the central and western interior.

Industry and transport in 1949 are clearly delineated, with the newly established Maine Turnpike cutting a modern path toward Saco and Biddeford. Long-established rail lines like the Boston & Maine RR and Maine Central RR connect the mill towns of Rochester and Dover to the coastal hubs. To the northwest, the transition into the White Mountain National Forest highlights the shift from the industrial river valleys of the Merrimack River to the high-elevation peaks of the White Mountains.