1975 Map of North Adams

About this map

The northern reaches of the Berkshires are captured in high-detail aerial photography, revealing the industrial and residential patterns of the mid-1970s. Industrial sites at Zylonite and the clustered urban center of North Adams contrast with the steep, wooded terrain of the surrounding mountains. The North Branch Hoosic River serves as the primary drainage and developmental corridor for these valley settlements, while further east, the landscape transitions into the deep folds of the Hoosac Range. This orthophoto provides a precise visual record of the region's land use just as the industrial era was shifting, showing clear distinctions between the developed valley floor and the high ground at Whitcomb Summit. Small enclaves like Briggsville appear as localized nodes of activity along the smaller waterways, including the Cold River, which carves through the eastern portion of the quadrangle toward the south.