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1942 Map of Sterling

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of Sterling
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

The Stillwater River and Quinapoxet River converge in the south, feeding the Stillwater Basin and Thomas Basin during a period of significant water infrastructure development. A notable engineering feature is Shaft 1 along the Quagbin Aqueduct, part of the massive regional effort to secure water supplies for the Boston area. The village of Oakdale sits near the base of these reservoirs, while the Boston and Maine Railroad creates a transportation corridor through Sterling Junction.

High ground is defined by family-named landmarks like Rowley Hill and Kendall Hill, overlooking a landscape dotted with small rural settlements such as East Princeton and West Sterling. Genealogists will find interest in localized burial grounds including West Sterling Cem and Legge Cem, while the Worcester County Training School and Sterling Camp Grounds represent specialized institutions and social spaces that characterized this part of Worcester County in the early 1940s.