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1943 Map of Holyoke

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Holyoke
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

The Connecticut River serves as the central artery for this mid-century survey of western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut, anchoring a landscape where industrial centers and academic institutions met the forested hills of the Berkshires. Major urban footprints in Springfield and Holyoke are captured alongside the sprawling grounds of the Northampton State Hospital and the early campus of the State College. The map highlights a critical transportation corridor during the war years, featuring the Boston & Maine RR and Ny Nh & H Rr networks that fueled the Pioneer Valley's economy.

Defense and aviation infrastructure are prominently noted, including the Nat Gd Rifle Range, Barnes Airport, and La Fleur Airport. Beyond the river valley, the terrain shifts into protected timberlands like DAR State Forest and Worthington State Forest. For the family historian, the map preserves the locations of numerous small settlements such as Knightville, Worthington Corners, and Feeding Hills before late-century suburban expansion altered their rural character.