1892 Map of Webster

About this map

The French River and its numerous tributaries drive the industrial character of this late nineteenth-century corridor along the Massachusetts and Connecticut border. Industrial hamlets and mill villages like Bramanville, Hodges Village, and Manchaug are scattered among the undulating hills, connected by a dense web of rail lines including the Norwich and Worcester R. R. and the Boston and Albany R. R. The landscape is defined by its water management, seen in the proliferation of reservoirs such as Stiles Reservoir and Slaters Reservoir, which supported the region's textile and manufacturing base. From the northern edge at Leicester down to Webster, the map reveals a transition from traditional town commons like Old Common to specialized industrial zones. Numerous family-named landmarks like Putnam Hill and Carpenter Hill provide specific geographic markers for genealogical research into the families who settled this part of Worcester County.