Charlemont — Geographical And Topographical

Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.


      Charlemont lies on the western border of the county, south of the towns of Rowe, Heath, and Coleraine, and west of Shelburne; on the south are the towns of Hawley and Buckland, being separated from the latter by Deerfield River. The town is chiefly on the north side of that stream, extending from east to west about eleven miles, and varying from one to four miles in width. It presents an irregular shape.
      The arable parts of the town are mostly along the Deerfield River, and consist of alluvial flats from 10 to 80 rods wide. Here are the best improvements, along the winding river and street, whose borders are adorned by large maple-trees, and, with the picturesque hills in the background, form one of the most charming sections in New England. The uplands are broken by high hills and intervals, trending generally north and south. They are best adapted for grazing and fruit-culture, the apple especially yielding bountifully.
      The principal elevations are Mount Peak, in the southwestern part of the town, over 1000 feet high; Bald Mountain, in the central part; and Pocomptuck, in the northeast. The latter is reported 1888 feet high above tidewater. Its sides are bold and rugged; and it is one of the grandest hills in the county. The surface in the western part of the town is somewhat mountainous, and here are Coon Hill, Todd's and Hawks' Mountains, and Blue-Berry Peak, all several hundred feet above the general level. The greater part of the surface of the town was formerly covered with a fine growth of timber, and on the hills a liberal supply yet remains.
      Deerfield River is the principal stream. It enters at the western extremity, flows southeast, and forms the southern boundary for about five miles. It is a very rapid mountain-stream, and its power cannot be advantageously employed. In Charlemont its tributary streams on the north are Pelham, Rice, Mill, Hartwell, Wilder, and Taylor Brooks; and flowing from the south are Cold and Chickley's Rivers and Hawks' Brook. Most of these streams have been improved to operate machinery. There is also a liberal supply of springs and small brooks, and the town has good drainage.



These pages are © Laurel O'Donnell, 2005, all rights reserved
and cannot be reproduced in any format without permission
This page was last updated on
15 Jul 2005