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1958 Map of Otis

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Otis
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Otis Reservoir dominates this 1958 cultural revision, illustrating the expansive water system that defines the southern Berkshire landscape. To the north, the Massachusetts Turnpike cuts a modern path across the border of Becket, while the presence of an Old Railroad Grade and several early cemeteries, including West Center Cem and Norton Cem, trace the older transit and settlement patterns of the 19th century.

Forested highlands preserved within the Otis State Forest and Sandisfield State Forest surround small agricultural clearings and crossroads like Algerie Four Corners. The map details the hydrology of the upper Farmington River basin, from Big Pond down to The Narrows, showing a region transitioning from its industrial and agricultural roots toward recreational and conservation land use in the mid-20th century.