1975 Map of Woronoco

About this map

The Westfield River winds through the hills of Hampden County in the mid-1970s, carving a deep valley that dictates the layout of industry and settlement. This orthophoto mapping provides a literal view of the landscape, where the village of Woronoco sits tightly against the river's bend, historically tied to the paper mills and transport routes that followed the water's edge. To the north, the massive Tighe Carmody Reservoir dominates the higher elevations, while the township of Montgomery spans the upland terrain. The map captures the distinct contrast between the developed river corridors of Russell and Westfield and the dense, wooded tracts of the eastern Berkshires. By using aerial photography, this record shows the exact footprint of forest cover and land use before subsequent decades of suburban expansion and infrastructure changes shifted the character of the valley.