Massachusetts Roads - N/S/E/W Hamptons

Northampton, Southampton, Easthampton, Westhampton

The Hamptons are found in Hampshire County, not to be confused with Hampden County, which split off centuries ago. "Hamp" means "village" (think every place ending in "ham"), so both Hampton and Hampshire translate to "village town". Hampden is a last name dating back centuries, meaning "low country village" - similar to Denville, NJ. Don't expect me to run through etymology on all of my pages.


Heading home late one night, I made the mistake of taking back roads without writing down which ones. Somewhere in the greater general area of the Hamptons-ish, I found a southwestbound speed limit and older northeastbound curve sign.


I started out southbound on Florence Rd. in Northampton, which becomes Park St. in Easthampton, and then turns into Line St. when it hits Southampton. That name is because it's on the town line, so that's how it manages to cross the same boundary twice in the same direction: the first crossing is for the NB side, and the second crossing goes all the way in. It makes sense, then, that the last sign is not a typical town line sign. In fact, the border is exactly represented by this sign; the NB side has entered Holyoke, but the SB side that I'm on is still in Southampton.

Have a second faded MA 66 shield, in Westhampton.


Have a fourth town line sign, this time in the traditional style, along Montague Rd.


Heading north in Westhampton, South Rd. becomes North Rd. after the first sign (at Stage Rd.), and meets Easthampton Rd. at the second and third signs (near right and far left at the same intersection). The second sign should have been at Stage Rd., which cuts the corner. The sign on the right in the last photo faces Easthampton Rd. WB.


Near right and far left sides of the intersection from a SB perspective, throwing in another view of the Easthampton Rd. WB sign.


Still on North Rd., NB and SB.

Main Street, Leeds, Northampton
I-91
US 5
MA 9
MA 10
MA 141
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