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1950 Map of Townsend

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Townsend
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

The Squannacook River carves a central path through this mid-century landscape, anchoring the interconnected villages of Townsend, West Townsend, and Townsend Harbor. The Boston and Maine Railroad runs parallel to the river, illustrating the industrial and transit corridor that defined this region of Middlesex County. The map captures a moment when local infrastructure was firmly established, showing the Townsend Sch and Center Ch serving the community, while the Pepperell Waterworks and a nearby Quarry point to the area's resource management and industry.

Heavily wooded terrain characterizes the northern reaches, dominated by the Townsend State Forest and numerous named swamps like Wolf Swamp and Dead Swamp. Genealogical interest is found in the scattered family-named hills such as Barker Hill and Bayberry Hill, alongside established resting places like Hillside Cem and Pine Grove Cem. Across the state line in New Hampshire, the settlements of Brookline and West Brookline sit near the shores of Potanipo Pond, highlighting the close geographic ties between these border communities.