1975 Map of Stockbridge

About this map

Stockbridge and its neighboring Berkshire towns are captured in this mid-1970s orthophotoquad, which uses aerial photography to document the landscape and settlement patterns of the era. The dark expanse of the Stockbridge Bowl sits at the center of the sheet, surrounded by the wooded hills and clearings of West Stockbridge and Lenox. Following the valley floor, the Housatonic River winds through the southern portion of the map, passing by the village of Housatonic. This orthophoto format provides a clear record of land use during a period of Berkshire development, showing the density of town centers like Lee in contrast to the surrounding forested uplands. The imagery, captured by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Works and the USGS, reflects the early-modern transition of these historic mill and resort towns into their contemporary configurations.