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1938 Map of Springfield North

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Springfield North
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Industrial expansion and military preparation define this landscape along the Connecticut River during the mid-1940s. The map illustrates the massive footprint of Westover Field northeast of Chicopee, signaling the area's strategic importance during the war years. Dense urban development is visible in the canal-laced district of Holyoke and across the river in South Hadley Falls. The transportation network is anchored by the Boston and Maine RR and Boston and Albany RR, which served the various mills and factories powered by the Chicopee River.

Social infrastructure of the era is remarkably detailed, including the Chicopee Tuberculosis Hospital and the Chicopee Infirmary. Local family history is preserved through numerous burial grounds like St Stanislaus Cem and Calvary Cem, while recreational and educational spaces such as Springfield College, Van Horn Park, and the National Guard Rifle Range show the diverse use of the terrain just north of Springfield.