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1944 Map of Salem

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Salem
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The shoreline of Salem Harbor and Beverly Harbor reveals a bustling coastal economy in the years during World War II. The landscape is heavily marked by institutional and public infrastructure, including the Danvers State Hospital, the County Sanatorium, and the State Teachers College. Local heritage is anchored by a significant concentration of burial grounds, ranging from the colonial-era Old Settlers Burying Ground and Bradstreet & Porter Burying Ground to the specialized Sons of Jacob Cem and Bnai Brith Cem.

Transit networks define the interior, where the Maine RR connects industrial points like the Salem Terminal Wharf to inland junctions such as West Peabody Junction. Evidence of early extraction remains at the Old Copper Mine near Thunder Bridge, while the elevation at Gallows Hill and Ledge Hill provides a striking contrast to the broad wetlands of Wenham Swamp. This survey captures the region just as it evolved into a dense suburban and industrial hub.