1972 Map of Chester

About this map

Littleville Lake and the Middle Branch Westfield River valley dominate this early 1970s survey of the Massachusetts highlands. The landscape reflects a transition from traditional agricultural settlements to managed conservation areas, including the Chester Wildlife Management Area and the Chester-Blandford State Forest. Industrial and transportation history is concentrated in the southwest corner where the Penn Central railroad follows the West Branch Westfield River through Chester. Genealogists will find numerous family and local burial grounds preserved here, such as Old Leonard Cem, Gate Cem, and Riley Grove Cem. The topography is punctuated by distinctive peaks like Gobble Mtn and Bear Mtn, while water features like Glendale Falls and the Littleville Dam show the area's complex drainage and modern water management. Small clusters like South Worthington and North Chester remain connected by winding country roads that follow the contours of the Berkshires.