1944 Map of West Springfield

About this map

The Westfield River carves through the landscape of the Pioneer Valley during the mid-1940s, marking the transition between the industrial centers of Westfield and West Springfield. This survey details an era of significant institutional development, illustrated by the Westfield State Sanatorium and the Hampden County Training Sch. A complex network of crossroads settlements like Feeding Hills, Johnson Corner, and Rising Corner defines the rural character south of the river, where agriculture and small-scale industry coexisted with the infrastructure of the Boston and Albany RR and the New Haven and Hartford RR. The geography is defined by prominent elevations such as Liswell Hill and the ridge of East Mountain, which overlooks the local Quarry and Waterworks essential to the region's mid-century growth.