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1893 Map of Chesterfield

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Chesterfield
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1893
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1893

About this map

Risbee Mill and numerous small settlements define the late 19th-century industrial and agricultural landscape of the Hampshire County highlands. The Westfield River and its various branches, including the Middle Branch of Westfield River, carve deep valleys that dictated the placement of towns such as Chesterfield Hollow and Knightville. The presence of the Boston and Albany Railroad in the southwestern corner highlights the vital transportation corridor connecting these upland communities to larger markets.

Genealogists can find specific locales like Ireland Street, Shack Street, and Dayville, which reflect the early density of rural neighborhoods. Terrain features such as Kidds Lookout, Petticoat Hill, and Little Moose Hill provide a clear view of the complex topography that early settlers navigated. This 1886 survey, published in 1893, documents a period before the expansion of modern reservoirs, showing original water levels at Norwich Pond and the Reservoir near Hanging Mt.