1895 Map of Granville

About this map

Blandford and Granville serve as central points in this late-19th-century study of the southern Berkshire foothills, where the landscape is defined by deep valleys and the winding courses of the West Branch of Westfield River. The map illustrates a transitional period when rail lines like the Boston and Albany Railroad and the New York New Haven and Hartford R. R. Northampton Div. were vital lifelines for the scattered upland villages. Local industrial and agricultural patterns are suggested by concentrations at Russellville and West Parish, while the rugged southern terrain includes curiously named landmarks such as Bad Luck Mtn. and Sodom Mtn. along the state boundary line. The survey captures the intricate network of brooks, including Borden Brook and Valley Brook, which once powered the small-scale mills and farms characteristic of Hampden County before 20th-century consolidation.