1935 Map of Shirley

About this map

The Nashua River and Catacoonamug Brook define the industrial and natural character of this 1935 landscape where the Middlesex Co Worcester Co boundary line bisects the territory. The rail-centered development of Shirley and North Leominster is evident along the Boston and Maine RR, which provided a critical connection for local mills and residents. The northern reaches of Fort Devens appear at the eastern edge, while the sprawling campus of the Shirley Massachusetts Industrial School For Boys occupies a significant portion of the town's southern landscape. The terrain is marked by numerous water bodies like Shirley Reservoir, Massapoag Pond, and Fort Pond, which likely supported local agricultural and industrial needs during the mid-1930s. Genealogists may find interest in the precise location of St Cecelia Cemetery and the various hills like Prospect Hill and Treasure Hill that shaped the rural character outside the village centers.