Loading map...

1943 Map of Belchertown

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Belchertown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

The town of Belchertown and its surrounding Hampshire County uplands are documented here just after World War II, revealing a landscape defined by glacial lakes and a transition from agricultural roots to institutional growth. The Central Vermont and Boston and Maine railroads intersect this terrain, serving established settlements like Dwight and Cooks Corner. Significant local landmarks include the State School and St Hyacinths Seminary, reflecting the large-scale social and religious infrastructure of mid-century Massachusetts.

Water features dominate the central valley, where Arcadia Lake, Metacomet Lake, and Lake Holland form a chain of ponds near the town center. The topography rises sharply to the west into the Holyoke Range, including Long Mtn, while the eastern portion of the sheet is marked by the proximity of the Swift River valley. Genealogists will find numerous family-named burial grounds, such as Dwight Cem and Munsel Cem, alongside a dense network of early thoroughfares like Old Bay Road and Enfield Road.