Exploring Western Massachusetts: Trails, Rails & Roads: Western Mass. Maps

Maps explain the ground beneath our feet. The water we fish and swim in and drink. Topographic maps exhibit the carving of earth's surface by nature, road maps the scratchings of man. Maps show where we've been and where we may go, on our journey, exploring Western Massachusetts. Here are a few to help get you there...
(Updated July 20, 2012)

Getting Here From There...Directions & Downtowns:

~ Pioneer Valley Area Maps ~
Downtown maps of Springfield, Westfield, Holyoke, Northampton, Chicopee and Amherst on valleyvisitor.com, courtesy of the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau.
{ http://www.valleyvisitor.com/view-maps.html }

~ Pittsfield, Mass., Street Map ~
Street map of the City of Pittsfield, including downtown highlights.
{ http://www.pittsfield-ma.org/PittsfieldMA-Area4.pdf }

~ Massachusetts Road Map ~
Map showing major highways in Massachusetts via geology.com.
{ http://geology.com/cities-map/massachusetts.shtml }

~ Google Maps ~
"View maps and get driving, walking, public transit, and biking directions. Also see current traffic conditions, search for local businesses, check the weather, and learn about historical landmarks." - Google Maps
{ http://maps.google.com }

~ MapQuest ~
"Maps, Directions and More." - MapQuest
{ http://www.mapquest.com }

~ Yahoo Maps ~
{ http://maps.yahoo.com }

State, Federal & Local Government Map Resources

~ Massachusetts Cities and Towns Map ~
Map of Massachusetts showing cities and towns via the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
{ http://www.aaboston.org/ma_city_town.pdf }

~ Maps from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism ~
A variety of Massachusetts maps including the Berkshires, Mohawk Trail Region and Springfield.
{ http://www.massvacation.com/getAround/maps-and-directions.php }

~ MassWildlife - Maps & Atlases ~
Recreation, conservation and regulatory maps, including pond, fishing and boating maps.
{ http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/maps.htm }

~ Trail Maps of Massachusetts State Parks, Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation ~
"Trail maps are available for many State Parks. The electronic maps found on the DCR website are meant only as a guide. Please be sure to pick up a printed map upon your arrival." - DCR
{ http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails.htm }

~ Massachusetts Geographic Information System ~
"MassGIS is the Commonwealth's Office of Geographic and Environmental Information, within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. Through MassGIS, the Commonwealth has created a comprehensive, statewide database of spatial information for environmental planning and management." - MassGIS
{ http://www.mass.gov/anf/research-and-tech/it-serv-and-support/application-serv/office-of-geographic-information-massgis/ }

~ Amherst, Mass., Geographic Information System ~
"The Town of Amherst maintains a Geographic Information System (GIS) to meet the ever-increasing needs of departments, boards, committees, professionals, and citizens to access a wealth of information and mapping resources. The Amherst GIS provides a central map-centric portal for many uses." - Town of Amherst
{ http://www.amherstma.gov/index.aspx?NID=400 }

~ Pittsfield, Mass., Geographic Information System ~
{ http://host.appgeo.com/PittsfieldMA/Map.aspx }

~ Springfield, Mass., Geographic Information System ~
"This tool is intended to help make local government more accessible and efficient." - City of Springfield
{ http://gis.springfield-ma.gov/gis }

~ Massachusetts Map from FedStats ~
Federal statistics by county.
{ http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/maps/massachusetts_map.html }

~ Massachusetts County Selection Map ~
Massachusetts QuickFacts from the United States Census Bureau.
{ http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/maps/massachusetts_map.html }

Historic Maps Online

~ American Memory Collection, Library of Congress, Map Collections ~
"The Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress holds more than 4.5 million items, of which Map Collections represents only a small fraction, those that have been converted to digital form." - LOC
{ http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome.html }

~ Historic USGS Maps of Massachusetts ~
The University of New Hampshire's Dimond Library, Documents Department & Data Center, offers a great collection of historic USGS maps of Massachusetts.
{ http://docs.unh.edu/towns/massachusettstownlist.htm }

~ Historic Topographic Maps of Massachusetts ~
Old topographic maps of Massachusetts from MyTopo.com.
{ http://historical.mytopo.com/statemap.cfm?stateabr=MA }

~ The Massachusetts Historical Society Online: Massachusetts Maps ~
"The Massachusetts Historical Society is pleased to make 104 unique and rare manuscript and printed maps of Massachusetts available through 36 web presentations." - MHS
{ http://www.masshist.org/online/massmaps/ }

~ Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library ~
"The Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library is dedicated to the creative educational use of its cartographic holdings, which extend from the 15th century to the present." - Boston Public Library
{ http://maps.bpl.org/ }

~ Vintage Maps of Massachusetts from Old-maps.com ~
"...offering digital and printed reproductions of maps from all over New England." - Old-maps.com
{ http://www.old-maps.com/massachusetts.htm }

~ Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas ~
"This site acts as a historical collection as well as a current collection." - UT
{ http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps }

~ WardMaps.com ~
"...your source for authentic antique maps, reproduction prints and customizable gifts." - Wardmaps.com
{ http://www.wardmaps.com }

Maps on Exploring Western Massachusetts

~ "A Plan of West Springfield, By J. Lathrop, August, 1831" ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2008/06/plan-of-west-springfield-by-j-lathrop.html }

~ Map: Bird's-eye View of Chester, Massachusetts, 1885 ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2010/02/map-birds-eye-view-of-chester.html }

~ Map: Bird's-eye View of North Adams, Massachusetts, 1881 ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2009/04/map-birds-eye-view-of-north-adams-1881.html }

~ Map: Bird's-eye View of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 1899 ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2009/08/map-birds-eye-view-of-pittsfield.html }

~ Map: Bird's-eye View of Westfield, Massachusetts, 1875 ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2009/03/map-1875-birds-eye-of-westfield.html }

~ Map of Franklin County, Massachusetts, c1879 ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2011/03/map-of-franklin-county-mass-c1879.html }

~ Map: Hampshire County, Massachusetts, 1854 ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2009/07/map-hampshire-county-massachusetts-1854.html }

~ Map of Massachusetts Public Libraries, c1914 ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2012/06/map-of-massachusetts-public-libraries.html }

~ Western Massachusetts Highways and Byways, circa 1929 ~
{ http://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2010/07/western-massachusetts-highways-and.html }

Trail Maps

~ The Trustees of Reservations - Trail Map Library ~
Maps of Trustees of Reservations locations statewide.
{ http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/21_trail_map_library.cfm }

~ Trail Maps of Massachusetts State Parks, Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation ~
(See State & Local Government Map Resources above)

As always, thanks for stopping by and take care. And safe journeys all...wherever you may roam.