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1959 Map of Pittsfield West

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Pittsfield West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

Pittsfield serves as the eastern anchor of this Berkshire County landscape, where urban density gives way to the ridges of the Taconic Range. The 1959 revision of this area captures the city during a period of mid-century infrastructure growth, evidenced by the Pittsfield Airport and the Branch Substation near the New York Central rail line. To the west, the map documents the religious and communal heritage of the region at Shaker Village and the City Farm, while the recreation-heavy shoreline of Onota Lake and Richmond Pond shows a clear transition from industrial center to seasonal retreat.

The terrain is defined by a series of prominent peaks and cobbles, including Yokun Seat and Mahanna Cobble, which overlook the developing suburbs. Institutional landmarks are numerous, ranging from the Naval Reserve Center and Hillcrest Hospital to a network of neighborhood schools like the Redfield Sch and St Josephs High Sch. The map also preserves the footprint of local recreation at the Bousquet Ski Area and Wahconah Park, providing a detailed look at the public spaces that shaped life in the Berkshires during this era.