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1973 Map of Williamstown

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Williamstown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Williams College anchors the heart of this Berkshire County landscape, where the academic grounds of Williamstown meet the steep slopes of the Taconic and Hoosac ranges. The 1973 survey captures the area's intricate balance of institutional life and preserved wilderness, from the historic College Cem to the sprawling Hopkins Memorial Forest. The northern reach is defined by the Hoosic River valley, which carries the Boston and Maine Railroad through industrial nodes like Blackinton and Greylock.

Deep in the southern portion of the quadrangle, the terrain rises dramatically toward the summit of Mt Greylock, where the War Memorial Beacon stands as a clear landmark within the Mt Greylock State Reservation. This map is particularly valuable for tracing the original path of the Appalachian Trail and the Taconic Trail as they navigate the ridges and deep glacial hollows like The Hopper. Scattered agricultural holdings such as Mt Hope Farm and Thiel Farm illustrate the persistent rural character of the valleys surrounding the college town.