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1952 Map of Southbridge

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Southbridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Old Sturbridge Village and the industrial activity of the mid-20th century define this portrait of the central Massachusetts and northern Connecticut borderlands. The Quinebaug River winds through the heart of the landscape, powering the manufacturing legacy found in Southbridge and Globe Village, while the southern reaches transition into the wooded expanse of the Nipmuck State Forest. This survey captures a specific era of infrastructure, showing the Southbridge Airfield and a dense network of local landmarks like the Cohasse Country Club and numerous municipal water supplies including No 1 Reservoir through No 5 Reservoir.

Genealogists and local historians can find several significant burial grounds, such as Oak Ridge Cem and Notre Dame Cem, alongside early educational institutions like the West St Sch. The map illustrates the early development of Sturbridge and the outlying hamlet of Fiskdale, providing a clear look at the intersection of early living history museums and active industrial communities before late-century suburbanization.