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1954 Map of Ware

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Ware
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Ware River carves a deep industrial and transit corridor through this mid-century landscape, connecting the manufacturing hamlets of Wheelwright, Furnace, and Gilbertville. This 1954 revision reveals a region defined by its complex rail infrastructure, where the Central Vermont, Boston and Maine, and Boston and Albany lines converge to serve the riverside communities. Beyond the valley floor, the terrain rises sharply toward Dougal Mountain and Ragged Hill, maintaining the rural character of older settlements like Hardwick and New Braintree.

A notable engineering detail is the subterranean path of the Quabbin Aqueduct, which cuts across the northwest corner near Hardwick Pond. For genealogists, the map provides precise locations for the St Aloysius Cem and Hardwick Cem, while aviation researchers can locate the mid-century footprint of the Barre Airport. The map captures the transition from a traditional rail-dependent economy to the modern era of the Petersham Road and Barre Road.