1975 Map of Sterling

About this map

Sterling and its surrounding hamlets are captured in this mid-1970s orthophotomap, showing the transition from the dense industrial edges of Leominster to the rural expanses of Worcester County. The landscape is defined by the critical watershed of the Wachusett Reservoir, where the Stillwater River and Quinapoxet River converge at Oakdale. This aerial perspective reveals the 1970s land use patterns, contrasting the clustered village centers of East Princeton and West Sterling against a backdrop of evolving woodlots and agricultural fields. By utilizing rectified aerial photography, this survey provides a precise look at the road networks and property clearings near Moores Corner before later suburban development altered the character of these central Massachusetts towns.