Home / The atlas / Specialized maps Choose · notice · investigate
Specialized maps Choose a question about travel, farming, fishing, jobs, land use, or community places. A specialized map focuses on one theme.
All atlas maps Physical maps Political maps Martha’s Vineyard maps Specialized maps Maps before 1800 Narrow your topic Find a map SubjectAll subjects collections economy historical political transportation PlaceAll places Vineyard regional statewide TimeAll periods 1600s 1700s 1800s 1900s 2000s all Reset filters
Showing 12 of 28 resources
Official NRCS SSURGO-certified soils sample classified by slope. MassGIS / Commonwealth of Massachusetts Image source ↗ Enlarge this map economy Soils and farmland suitability statewide · 2000s
Explore soil maps, including soils suited to growing food.
A question to investigate Does good farmland soil always have a farm on it?
Dig deeper · grades 6–8 Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.
Open the interactive map ↗ Official statewide sample of designated shellfish growing areas; this preview is not a current closure advisory. MassGIS / Commonwealth of Massachusetts Image source ↗ Enlarge this map economy Designated shellfish growing areas statewide · 2000s
Find coastal areas mapped for shellfish habitat and management.
A question to investigate Why do shellfish maps follow water boundaries?
Dig deeper · grades 6–8 Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.
Open the interactive map ↗ Official Cape Cod shellfish suitability sample with the original species legend. MassGIS / Commonwealth of Massachusetts Image source ↗ Enlarge this map economy Shellfish habitat suitability statewide · 2000s
Compare places with conditions suited to different shellfish.
A question to investigate Would every kind of shellfish need the same habitat?
Dig deeper · grades 6–8 Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.
Explore the official source ↗ Official local 2016 land cover/land use sample with the original classification legend. MassGIS / Commonwealth of Massachusetts Image source ↗ Enlarge this map economy Land cover and land use in 2016 statewide · 2000s
Compare forests, farms, developed land, and other land uses.
A question to investigate What land uses lie beside a river or road?
Dig deeper · grades 6–8 Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.
Open the interactive map ↗ Official embedded map sample of MassDOT roads near Interstate 95 and Route 128. MassGIS / MassDOT Image source ↗ Enlarge this map transportation Roads and highways statewide · 2000s
Trace roads of different sizes through the Commonwealth.
A question to investigate Which highways connect the biggest urban areas?
Dig deeper · grades 6–8 Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.
Explore the official source ↗ Live map tool Airports, ferry routes, rail, and seaports Open transportation layers to compare ways of moving people and goods.
Which travel routes can cross water?
Open the official map resource ↗ Official MassGIS farmers’ markets sample map showing the Boston and Brookline area. MassGIS / Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Image source ↗ Enlarge this map economy Farmers’ markets statewide · 2000s
Locate places where farms sell food to nearby communities.
A question to investigate How far might food travel from a farm to a market?
Dig deeper · grades 6–8 Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.
Explore the official source ↗ Live map tool MassGrown Farm Finder Find farms and local agricultural products around Massachusetts.
What farm products can you find near your community?
Open the official map resource ↗ Live map tool MassDOT Road Inventory Map Inspect roads and learn how transportation planners describe them.
How does a local street differ from a highway?
Open the official map resource ↗ Live map tool OnTheMap — places people live and work Select a Massachusetts community and explore jobs and travel to work.
Do most workers live in the same town where they work?
Open the official map resource ↗ Statewide map sheet from the 2025 Official Massachusetts Transportation Map (PDF page 2). MassDOT / Central Transportation Planning Staff Image source ↗ Enlarge this map transportation Official Massachusetts Transportation Map statewide · 2000s
Use the official statewide map to follow major travel routes.
A question to investigate Plan a route from the Berkshires to Cape Cod.
Dig deeper · grades 6–8 Compare the map’s creator, date, purpose, scale, and missing information with a second map. Explain what changed and what stayed connected.
Explore the official source ↗ Live map tool Public use airports map Locate public airports across Massachusetts, including the islands.
Why might an island need both a ferry port and an airport?
Open the official map resource ↗ Show 12 more Sources checked September 23, 2026. Open the source for current programs, hours, access, and map updates. Historical maps may contain outdated language or incomplete representations of Native homelands.