1953 Map of Windsor Locks

About this map

Bradley Field and the State Dept of Aeronautics dominate the central landscape of this mid-century survey, illustrating the rapid expansion of aviation infrastructure in the Hartford Co region. The topography transitions from the eastern banks of the Farmington River to the prominent ridge of West Suffield Mtn, where the Metacomet Trail skirts the edge of the copper mining history at Old Newgate Prison. This era finds the area in a delicate balance between its traditional agrarian roots, seen in the numerous family-named landmarks like Taintor Hill and Cains Pond, and the encroaching industrial and military footprints of the U S Military Reservation. Education and local history are well-represented by long-standing institutions such as Suffield Academy and numerous rural schoolhouses, including the South Street Sch and Boston Neck Sch.