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t7. 7 GEOGRAPHICAL and STATISTICAL VIEW or MASSACHUSETTS PROPER. »Y RODOLPHUS DICKINSON, Eso. GREENFIELD, PR.IHTED BY DENIO AND PHELPS. 1813. : GREENriELD, MasS. MAUCH, 1813. THE following view comprises the principal part of a work, for the pubK- cation of which a subscription was attempted, that proved unsuccessful.* For the more convenient insertion of the tables, it is offered to the public in the present it interesting, and found to something form ; with a hope that may be add to the means of geographical and statistical information. Several states have been minutely and philosophically described ; but were some gentleman to furnish even as limited a sketch as this, of every other section of the union, it would not per- haps be deemed vain to presume, that with such aids, and the materials already in possession, a native or foreign geographer would be enabled to prepare a more extensive and satisfactory description of our country, thap any that has hith- erto been published. The author aspires at least to the merit of impartiality. The citizens of Massachusetts will here find no ungenerous discriminations to ex- effort cite their regret ; and to them, this humble is respectfully inscribed. R. D. * The writer sincerely thanks his friends and fellow citizens, Who encourag- ed his proposals, and informs them that they are discharged from all responsibili- ty as subscribers. Their patronage of this work, however, will be gratefully accepted. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit : DISTRICT clerk's OFFICE. Be it remembered, That on the twentieth day of October, A. D. 1812, year of the the States t. s. and in the thirty seventh Independence of United of America, Rodolphus Dickinson, of the said district, has deposited ih this office, the title of a book, the right whereof he clainas as author, in the words following, to wit ** A Geographical and Statistical View of Massachusetts Proper.— By Rodolphus Dickinson, Esq." In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States', entitled, " as act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned ;" and also to an act entitled "an act supplementary to an act, entitled, an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned ; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, etching historical afld other prints." eoaravinji,^ and Wm. S. SHAW, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. VIEW OF MASSACHUSETTS. Extent. THE greatest length of Massachusetts* may be estimated at 175, and its greatest breadth at 90 miles. The northern line is about 125 ; the southern, extending from the south western corner to the eastern extremity of the state, if its cir- cuitous course be pursued, is more than 200 ; the western about 50, and the country for nearly 100 miles eastwardly, preserves almost an uniform width, be- yond which it diverges, aad forms the greatest breadth. The medial length may be stated at about 150, and the medial breadth at 60 miles. Situation. It is presumed that the latitude and longitude of the extreme parts of Massachusetts have never been precisely ascertained by astronomical observa- tions ; but without much inaccuracy, it may be said to be situated between 41°' 3 1^ and 42° 52^ of nofth latitude, and between 69° 53^ and 73° 2 1^ of west loa- jgitude.f Boundaries. Massachusetts is bounded on the north by the state of Vermont and New on the east Hampshire ; by ihe Atlantic ocean ; on the south by the same states ocean, the of Rhode Island and Connecticut ; and on the west by the state of New York. * For convenience and brevity, tlie terms Massachusetts and State are uniform- to ly applied Massachusetts Proper, although the District of Maine forms an in-. tegral part of the commonwealth. f From the map of Ofgood Carleton : Xiatitude of the northern extremity of Massachusetts, being in Essex county, - . 42* ^ 5 1 Lat. of southern extremity, on uhe continent, Bristol county, .... 4» Do. of southern point of Nantucket Island, Do. of N. W. corner of state, Do. of S. W. corner, ... Longitude of the eastern extremity of the state, in Barnstable county, - . ^v > * » T,r ,. "'g Westfroru Long, of N. W. corner of state, - - ni ( London. »9. of S. W. corner, , . - . 7« 21 I « VIEW OF MASSACHUSETTS. Civil Divisions. Massachusetts is divided into fourteen counties, namely, Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Suf- folk, Norfolk, Plymouth, Brisiol, Barnstable, Duke's, and Nantucket. Berk- shire forms the western section of the state, and extends from Vermont to Con- necticut : Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden, which taken together extend also across the state, are situated between Berkshire and Worcester, Hampshire being the central, Franklin the northern, and Hampden the southern county : Worcester is situated between the three last named counties, and those of Middlesex and Norfolk, with New Hampshire on the north,and Connecticut and Rhode Island on the south : Middlesex also borders north upon New Hamp- shire, and east upon some of the maritime counties, though a point of it extends to the sea : Jissex, on the sea coast, has the same northern boundary, and Suf- folk constitutes iis southern, and Middlesex its western limits. Suffolk, a maritime county, consisting principally of the peninsula of Boston, has Norfolk on the south, and Middlesex on the west : Norfolk is bounded east by Massachu- setts bay, south by Plymouth and Bristol, and west by Worcester and Middle- sex : Plymouth is situated on the sea coast, with Barnstable and Buzzard's bay on the south, and Bristol on the west : that bay forms the southern boundary of Bristol, and its western is the state of Rhode Island : Barnstable constitutes the extreme eastern section of Massachusetts, is conaected with Plymouth by an inconsiderable neck of land, and otherwise surrounded by water : and south of Barnstable in the Atlantic, are situated the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, the former composing principally the county of Duke's, and the latter forming the county of Nantucket. The subdivisions of the counties consist of towns, district's, and a few unin- corporated places, a table of which is for various purposes attached to this work. Massachusetts contains no incorporated cities. Face of i?he Country. MassSchusetts is a diversified country. The south eastarn part is principally level, presenting plains of great extent. There are also extensive level districts in the vicinity of the Merrimack river, in the north east. Salt marshes are nu- merous in the maritime parts of the state, though not very extensive. Most of that section bordering on the sea coast, and extending tov.'ards the interior as far as the county of Worcester, may be regarded as a level division, exhibiting but inconsiderable elevations. The five western counties of Worcester, Hampshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Berkshire, present the greatest irreg-ularity of surface, and constitute the highlands of the sfr^te. T-hese counties, however, abound in vast tracts of elevated lands diversified with gentle swells, in large districts of pine plains, in valleys of various extent, as well as in wide intervals, particularly on the banks of Connecticut river. There is a considerable extent of country on that river, which Is evidently of alluvial formation. This, exhibiting some inequality of surface, spreads from the hills in Gill, Bernardston, and Leyden, on the north, to Mount Holyoke, Mount Tom, and an elevated range extending south westerly through Westlleld, on the south. The eastern margin skirts the highlands in Montague, Sunderland, and Hadley ; the western, those of Greenfield, Deerfield, VVhateJy, Hatfield, North- ampton, Southampton, and Westfield. The extent from north to south is about forty miles j the breadth is variable, but la no place exceeds five miles. The VIEW OF MASSACHUSETTS. S principal part of this valley Is a rich mould free from stone, and in some places sandy pine plains prevail. Within the valley is a range of hills comnisncing at Sugar Loaf bluff, near the southern line of Deerfield, and extending nortl'.erly to the upper part of Greenfield. Excepting this range, appearances justify the belief that this valley was formerly a lake, tlircugh which llowcd Connecticut river ; and that the highlands at South Hadley falls, having been worn down to the level of the valley, the waters drained off, and left in many parts a rich in- terval soil, brought down from the upper country.* Connecticut river now winds through this valley, and forms the site of several villages. At the foot of South Hadley falls another alluvial region commences, embrac- ing a part of Springfield, West Springfield, and Long Meadow, and extending into the state of Connecticut. Massachusetts, in a comparative view, is very extensively opened by cultiva- tion, which may be attributed to the priority of its settlement to that of most of the other states, its maritime situation, the general good quality and feasible char- acter of the soil, the superior plans of agriculture, and to various other causes. This state exhibits, comparatively, no very extensive forests ; the cultivated parts of the farms being, in general, accompanied only with proportionate wood- iands. Those that in their extent claim the most particular notice, are spread upon the western range of mountains, the northern part of the Hoosack, and upon the high ridges which extend along the banks of Deerfield river, to a considerable distance east of the latter chain. There are also large forests upon some of the ranges of mountains ar.d hills near Connecticut river : and la the same quar- ter, as in other parts of the state, especially the south eastern counties, are nu- merous level, and extensive forests of pines.

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