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1955 Map of Thompson

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Thompson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Connecticut Rhode Island borderlands center on a landscape of expansive reservoirs and state forests during the mid-1950s. The village of Thompson sits elevated near Marianapolis College, overlooking the Thompson Meadows. To the east, the Quaddick State Forest and Quaddick State Park surround the narrow, winding waters of the Quaddick Reservoir. The rural character of the area is defined by small clusters of settlement like East Putnam and Putnam Heights, as well as industrial remnants along the Fivemile River in Pineville and Ballouville.

A network of water bodies dominates the eastern portion of the map, including Wallum Lake and the Bowdish Reservoir, which are separated by the dense woodlands of Pulaski Memorial State Forest. The presence of numerous family-named landmarks like Sherman Cem and Brandy Hill indicates a deeply rooted local history, while the Gravel Pit and varied mill ponds suggest a history of small-scale resource extraction and water-powered industry.