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1964 Map of Belchertown

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Belchertown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The Holyoke Range and its eastern slopes define the landscape of this mid-century survey, where the town of Belchertown serves as a central hub for the surrounding rural economy. The map illustrates a complex network of institutional and natural features, most notably the large Belchertown State School and the St Hyacinths Seminary and College near Forge Pond. Transportation is a key theme, with the Boston and Maine and Central Vermont railroads navigating the area's many brooks and swamps, such as the expansive Lawrence Swamp.

Infrastructure shifts are visible in the purple photorevisions from 1975, which document suburban development and changes such as the abandoned sewage disposal site. The eastern edge of the quadrangle is dominated by the Quabbin Reservoir Reservation, highlighting the area's role in the regional water supply. Small settlements like Dwight and Cooks Corner are preserved here, alongside family-named corners and local landmarks like Metacomet Lake and Lake Holland.