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1959 Map of Portland

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Portland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Portland and its surrounding coastal and lake districts appear here as they were organized in the mid-century, defined by a complex network of maritime defenses and established rail lines. Coastal security is prominent at the mouth of Casco Bay, where a string of military installations including Fort McKinley, Fort Levett, and Fort Williams guard the approach to the harbor. Further south along the Maine New Hampshire border, the Piscataqua River serves as the gateway to Portsmouth, flanked by Fort Constitution and Fort Dearborn.

Inland, the landscape transitions from the dense settlements of Manchester and Concord to the vacation economies of Lake Winnipesaukee and Sebago Lake. The transportation infrastructure is anchored by the Boston and Maine RR and the Maine Central RR, which connect the industrial centers of Lewiston and Auburn to the coast. This era shows the emerging prominence of the Maine Turnpike, reflecting a shift toward automobile travel through the White Mountain National Forest.