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1897 Map of Becket

Name: 1897 Topographic Map of Becket
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1928
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1928

About this map

The Housatonic River and the West Branch of Westfield River define the industrial and transit corridors of this Berkshire region in the late 19th century. Surveyed in 1886, the map reveals a landscape deeply connected by rail, with the Boston and Albany and the North Adams Branch Boston and Albany threading through narrow valley passes to serve manufacturing outposts like Lenox Furnace and high-elevation towns such as Hinsdale.

Remote settlements like Washington Station (P.O.) and Becket Center are shown alongside critical water resources, including the Ashley Lake and Greenwater Pond. The distribution of high-altitude landmarks like Becket Mt and Peru Hill highlights the challenging topography that directed the placement of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad lines. This sheet offers a view of a rural economy transitioning from timber and farming to a reliance on steam-powered transport and early water management.