1975 Map of Chester

About this map

West Branch Westfield River and its tributaries carve a network of steep-sided valleys through this section of the Berkshire foothills during the mid-1970s. This orthophotoquad, produced from 1975 aerial photography, reveals the precise footprint of human settlement in relation to the complex hydrology of the region. The village of Chester sits at the confluence of the West Branch and several smaller streams, while Chester Center occupies a higher plateau to the east. The landscape is dominated by the newly created Littleville Lake on the Little River, a prominent feature that altered the valley south of South Worthington. Higher elevations in the northern portion of the map near Ringville show the dense forest cover and agricultural clearings of the Middle Branch Westfield River valley, providing a clear record of land use before later reforestation and development.