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1886 Map of Northampton

Name: 1886 Topographic Map of Northampton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1886
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1886

About this map

The Connecticut River carves a winding path through this mid-1880s survey of Hampshire and Franklin counties, defining the agricultural and industrial character of the Pioneer Valley. Significant infrastructure of the era is evident, including the junction of the New Haven and Northampton Railroad and the Connecticut River Railroad at Northampton. To the east, the Agricultural College stands near Amherst City, while the Insane Asylum is noted on the outskirts of the primary settlement.

Manufacturing hubs like Haydenville and Florence follow the course of the Mill River, which powers several smaller communities before joining the main river valley. Notable terrain features like Mt Holyoke and the Ox Bow anchor the southern portion of the sheet, while river crossings such as Smiths Ferry and a Ferry near Hatfield illustrate the era's reliance on water-based transport before modern bridging.