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1952 Map of Quabbin Reservoir

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Quabbin Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Quabbin Reservoir dominates this 1952 topographic study, showing the engineered landscape of Central Massachusetts as it appeared just over a decade after its filling was completed. The map details the complex topography of the islands and surrounding ridges that survived the flooding, including Soapstone Hill, Mount L, and Russ Mtn. The peninsula formed by Prescott Hill and Mt Pleasant extends deep into the reservoir, preserving the remnants of earlier roads and settlements that were displaced by the metropolitan water project.

Along the western and northern edges, the map traces the surviving communities of New Salem, North Prescott, and Cooleyville. These areas are connected by the Daniel Shays Highway, which skirts the high ground above the water level. The transition from active township life to protected watershed is evident in the network of unimproved roads and fire trails that wind through the hills of Packard Mtn and lead toward the water's edge at Hop Brook.