1975 Map of Webster

About this map

Webster and its surrounding textile-mill landscape appear in this mid-1970s orthophotograph, captured by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Works. The imagery reveals the dense industrial and residential core of Dudley and the manufacturing centers along the French River, including the riverbank settlements of Perryville and Wilsonville. Unlike traditional topographic maps, this aerial perspective provides a literal view of the land-use patterns during this era, showing the distinct contrast between the built-up valley floors and the wooded uplands of South Charlton and Oxford. To the southwest, the Quinebaug River winds through the village of Quinebaug, marking the transition across the state line into Connecticut. Researchers can clearly identify the footprint of 1970s development, from the established mill towns to the expanding suburban clearing and field boundaries that defined the Worcester County landscape of the time.