2021 Map of Shirley

About this map

Houghtons Mill Pond and the surrounding marshlands of Flurcum Swamp and Spruce Swamp characterize this corridor of the North Central Massachusetts uplands. The landscape is a complex arrangement of glacial hills, including Turkey Hill, Cowdray Hill, and The Major Hills, interspersed with dozens of water bodies and brooks. While the industrial centers of Fitchburg and Leominster anchor the southwest, the rest of the area maintains a more traditional rural pattern. The settlement of Shirley and its outlying districts like Shirley Center and North Shirley are defined by historic cemeteries such as Village Cem and Saint Anthony's Cem. Transportation history is visible through the former rail alignment now known as the Mason NH Rail-Trail ext. Trl and the presence of Lunenburg Station, showing how the railroad once integrated these hill towns into the regional economy.