1944 Map of Quabbin Reservoir

About this map

The Quabbin Reservoir defines this landscape in the early 1940s, shown shortly after the flooding that fundamentally reshaped the borders of Franklin and Worcester counties. The map documents the remnants of high-ground settlements and hills that became islands or peninsulas within the vast water project. To the west, North Prescott and Cooleyville appear as high-elevation outposts above the rising waterline. The terrain is marked by prominent peaks such as Packard Mtn, Bials Hill, and Mt Pleasant, while Soapstone Hill and Rattlesnake Hill rise sharply from the reservoir's eastern edges. This topography reveals the significant transition from the historic river valleys to the artificial shoreline, capturing the area in its first years as a completed public works project.