1977 Map of Salem

About this map

The North Shore of Massachusetts is documented here via high-altitude aerial photography, revealing the dense residential and industrial expansion of the late 1970s. The dense urban grid of Salem and the complex waterways of Danvers dominate the central landscape, showing how the coastal topography influenced the development of these colonial-era towns into modern satellite cities. This orthophotoquad captures the transition from the more rural reaches of Wenham and South Hamilton in the north to the heavily developed corridors around Peabody and Lynn to the south. The Ipswich River snakes through the western portion of the sheet, while the Miles River drains the wetlands of the northeast, providing a clear view of the remaining open space and protected drainages amidst the mid-century suburban sprawl.