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1987 Map of Reading

Name: 1987 Topographic Map of Reading
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

The Ipswich River snakes through this 1980s landscape at the junction of Middlesex and Essex Counties, revealing a region defined by post-war suburban density and significant institutional land use. Large protected areas like the Harold Parker State Forest and the Camp Curtis Guild National Guard Reservation provide a stark contrast to the tightly gridded residential streets of Reading, Wilmington, and Wakefield. This era shows the mature development of the local infrastructure, from the industrial Gravel Pits and quarries to the extensive school systems including Shawsheen Valley Vo-Tech High Sch and Austin Sch.

Genealogists and local historians can find a wealth of details in the various sacred and civic sites, such as the Tewksbury State Hospital Cem, St Agnes Ch, and the Old Burying Ground. The map also captures the transport networks of the time, documenting the Boston and Maine railroad lines and the complex system of interchanges that facilitated the growth of settlements like East Billerica and North Woburn. Natural features like Lake Quannapowitt and the Great Swamp persist as geographical anchors amid the expanding built environment.