Western Massachusetts: Encyclopedia II - Western Massachusetts - Geography

Western Massachusetts - Geography

Western Massachusetts can be divided into approximately four zones running from north to south across the region.

Western Massachusetts - The Berkshires

The Berkshire Mountains are a branch of the ancient Appalachian Mountains in the extreme west of the state, consisting approximately of Berkshire County. The chief cities in the area are Pittsfield and North Adams.

Western Massachusetts - The Hill Towns

The Hill Towns more or less include the areas of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties between the Connecticut River valley towns and the Berkshires.

Western Massachusetts - The Valley

The Connecticut River valley is formed on a fault line from when Africa subducted under North America millions of years ago, leaving part of itself behind. Cities in this region include Springfield, Greenfield, Northampton, South Hadley, and Holyoke.

See also: Pioneer Valley

Western Massachusetts - The Amherst Hill Towns

The area to the east of the Valley does not have a general name, and thus is often mistakenly considered part of the valley itself. Pelham, Shutesbury, and Leverett are part of the Amherst school district, and also called the "Hill Towns," despite being on the other side of the river from other hill towns. This area includes the Quabbin Reservoir.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Geography", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki