Loading map...

1948 Map of Portland West

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Portland West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Evergreen Cemetery and the sprawling rail yards of Deering Junction anchor this detailed post-war study of the city's western fringes. The landscape is defined by the winding Presumpscot River and the tidal reaches of Back Cove, where a complex network of iron connects the Maine Central RR, Grand Trunk RR, and Boston and Maine RR. This infrastructure supported the industrial heart of Westbrook and its Cumberland Mills, as well as the coastal commerce near Ligonia.

Neighborhoods like Woodfords, Oakdale, and North Deering show the encroaching residential density of the era, while the southern portion features the Portland Airport and the State Reform School. Beyond the urban core, the terrain rises toward family-named landmarks such as Blackstrap Hill and Leighton Hill, reflecting a period when small communities like Prides Corner and Nasons Corner were still distinct points along major thoroughfares like Roosevelt Trail.