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1896 Map of Strafford

Name: 1896 Topographic Map of Strafford
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1912
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1912

About this map

Strafford and the surrounding townships of Orange and Windsor counties reveal a landscape shaped by nineteenth-century industry and agriculture. The eastern slopes of the Green Mountains here are defined by significant mineral operations, most notably around Copperfield and the mining sites at Copperas Hill and Copper Flat. These industrial pockets are connected by a network of winding roads and high-elevation settlements like Vershire Center and South Vershire, which stand in contrast to the more traditional agricultural valleys along the Ompompanoosuc River.

The southern edge of the map features the Central Vermont RR following the bend of the White River near Sharon. Numerous family names are preserved on the terrain, from Grannyhand Hill to Mc Master Hill, providing a detailed record for genealogists. Small mill sites like Rices Mills and Mill Village highlight the localized economy of the late 1800s, where small watercourses like Abbott Brook and Jenkins Brook were harnessed for local power before the widespread adoption of modern utilities.