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1960 Map of North Adams

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of North Adams
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

Industrial centers and forested peaks define this area of the Northern Berkshires during the early 1960s. The city of North Adams serves as the focal point, where the Hoosic River and the Boston and Maine Railroad converge to support established manufacturing hubs like Zylonite and Renfrew. The map records a dense network of local institutions, including the St Josephs High Sch and State College, alongside residential pockets in Houghtonville and Briggsville.

Beyond the urban core, the landscape rises sharply into the Hoosac Range, characterized by the expansive Savoy Mountain State Forest and Monroe State Forest. Small mountain settlements like Florida contrast with the valley’s industrial pace, while family history is preserved in scattered sites such as Burnett Cem and New State Cem. A notable geographic feature is the Natural Bridge, indicating the unique limestone geology of the region. The transition from the high-altitude Spruce Mtn down to the river valley illustrates the traditional New England pattern of mountain-edge industry.