New Salem — Natural Features Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.       The surface of the town may be aptly characterized as wildly rugged, while the scenic displays which Nature has lavishly scattered here are beautifully impressive. The highest elevation in the town is Packard's Mountain in the southwest, said to be 1273 feet above the sea-level. Other prominent eminences are Fisk and Harris Hills in the north, and Rattlesnake and Pitman Hills in the centre. The streams are,—a branch of Miller's River in the west; the middle branch of Swift River, flowing through the centre; Hop Brook, Moose-horn Brook, and other small streams.       There are numerous ponds,—as the Reservoir in the northeast, covering 320 acres; Spectacle Pond, of 90 acres, in the east; Hacker's Pond, south of Spectacle Pond; Thomson's Pond of 265 acres in the southeast; and Hop-brook Pond. A soapstone-bed exists on Rattlesnake Hill, but it has never been worked. The climate of the town is remarkably salubrious and healthy. | Previous Page | Contents | Next Page | | New Salem Page | History of the CT Valley in Mass. | | Franklin County | Western Mass History & Genealogy 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 02 Jul 2005