Loading map...

1951 Map of Westport

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Westport
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

The Saugatuck River and Mill River basins define this coastal Fairfield County landscape in the early 1950s, a period marked by established suburban growth and the preservation of large watershed tracts. The expansive Hemlock Reservoir and Saugatuck Reservoir dominate the northern terrain, illustrating the region's role in supporting the water needs of a burgeoning population. Traditional settlements like Greenfield Hill and Lyons Plain remain distinct amidst the rolling hills, while the southern shoreline at Southport and Fairfield shows denser development concentrated along the Boston Post Road.

Infrastructure is anchored by the New York New Haven and Hartford RR and the Merritt Parkway, which weave through the townships. Local history is preserved in numerous family and community sites, from the Gilbertown Cem to the grounds of Fairfield University. The map captures a moment when the area's agricultural past, evidenced by features like the Perry Millpond, was increasingly meeting the institutional and residential demands of the post-war era.