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1890 Map of Hawley

Name: 1890 Topographic Map of Hawley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1890
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1890

About this map

The Deerfield River carves a deep path through these northern Massachusetts highlands, serving as the primary corridor for late 19th-century industry and transportation. The engineering feat of the Hoosac Tunnel is a central landmark, facilitating the passage of the Fitchburg Railroad through the mountains, while the Hoosac Tunnel and Readsboro Railroad connects the river valley to settlements like Monroe Bridge further north.

Small village centers and farming communities are scattered throughout the difficult terrain, including Rowe Center, Hawley, and Ashfield. The reliance on local water power is evident in the concentration of settlements near numerous brooks and rivers, such as the Chickley River and Clesson Brook. Named peaks like Adams Mountain and Pocumtuck Mountain dominate the topography, illustrating the physical barriers that early residents and railroad engineers successfully navigated to establish these Berkshire-region towns.