1953 Map of Shrewsbury

About this map

Glacial hills and sprawling reservoir waters characterize this mid-century portrait of Central Massachusetts. The massive Wachusett Reservoir dominates the northwest, its scalloped shoreline including Lord Cove and Andrews Harbor. Institutional land use is a prominent theme of the landscape, marked by the extensive grounds of the Lyman State Sch and the State Hospital further south. The settlement of Shrewsbury sits atop a central ridge, surrounded by family-named heights like Rawson Hill and Ward Hill. To the west, the residential expansion toward Worcester is evident in the developments of Fairlawn and Edgemere along the eastern shore of Lake Quinsigamond. The New York New Haven and Hartford railroad cuts through the southern terrain near Hocomonco Pond, while the established village centers of Northboro and Boylston Center maintain their traditional grids amidst the growing post-war suburban infrastructure.