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1944 Map of Winsor Dam

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Winsor Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

Quabbin Reservoir dominates this mid-century landscape, a massive transformation of the Swift River valley following the completion of the major hydraulic works. The map illustrates the massive engineering of Winsor Dam and the Quabbin Dike, which together impounded the waters that submerged former townships. On the Prescott Peninsula, high points like Mt Ram and Mt Lizzie rise above the new shoreline, marking the boundaries between Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester counties.

Local history is preserved in the detailed road networks surrounding the reservoir, including the Quabbin Park Cem and the settlement at West Ware. Small water bodies such as Peppers Mill Pond and Beaver Lake sit just south of the primary basin, while numerous family-named landmarks like Bear Hill and Richards Ledges define the elevations above the flooded valley. The transition from an agricultural valley to a managed watershed is evident in the network of remaining roads like Mill Valley Road and Fisherdick Road.