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Tyringham, Massachusetts

Tyringham is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 427 at the 2020 census.

History
Founded as Housatonic Township Number 1, the land which became Tyringham and Monterey was first settled in 1735. Tyringham was established in 1739. The two main villages were set up along two waterways, Hop Brook to the north and the Konkapot River to the south.

In 1750, Adonijah Bidwell, a Yale Divinity School graduate from the Hartford region, became the first minister of Township No. 1. When a meetinghouse was founded in the south, it led to a buildup in the north, and by 1762 the town was incorporated. The origins of the town name are somewhat disputed, with some sources claiming it was named for Tyringham, a village in Buckinghamshire, England, and others asserting it was named by Sir Francis Bernard, the former governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, after a woman, Jane Beresford (adopted by John Tyringham), from whom he had inherited an estate. If the latter, it would be the only town in Massachusetts named after a woman.

The town was home to the Tyringham Shaker Settlement Historic District, with the Shaker holy name of "Jerusalem", which lay just south of the town center. The town of Monterey was set off and incorporated as its own town in 1847.

Tyringham celebrated its bicentennial in August 1939 with a two day celebration and a 31 unit parade.

The Stedman Rake Factory located in town made rakes for several American Presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover.

The town was the site of several small country estates for notable wealthy families. Today, Tyringham is a small, rural community.

Economy
The town of Tyringham began with an agricultural economy which soon shifted to include cottage industries and manufacturing. In 1786, the town had 182 dwelling houses, forty shops, two tanneries, four potash works, two iron works, and four grist and saw mills. The townspeople made 1185 barrels of cider that year. More than ten thousand acres of the uplands were woodlands or unimproved land, but about 2500 acres had been improved for tillage. About two thousand acres were mowed for hay, and more than three thousand acres were used as pasturage for the townspeople's five hundred horses, eight hundred swine, 178 oxen, five hundred cattle, and 541 milk cows.

By 1837, Tyringham farmers had incorporated sheep into their economy and owned 1678 Merino sheep as well as 598 sheep of other breeds, and produced more than 6500 pounds of wool. One tannery was still in operation. Their manufactories made boots, shoes, iron castings, forks, wooden ware, palm-leaf hats, rakes, chairs, and corn brooms. The biggest business, a paper mill, employed seven men and nineteen women, and made fifty tons of paper valued at $21,000.

Over the next three decades, Tyringham farmers diversified further, though they maintained about 1800 acres for making hay. In 1865, 63 farms employed 200, and their tillage produced Indian corn, rye, barley, buckwheat, oats, and corn. Vegetable crops included potatoes, turnips, onions, carrots, and cabbage. Most of their crops were suited to the chilly climate and short growing season of a hilltown. The Shakers raised garden seeds, devoting only three acres to those crops but selling the seeds for $2,000. Someone devoted five acres to tobacco and raised nine thousand pounds valued at $1,800. Tyringham farmers had also brought 1800 apple trees and fifty pear trees into production. Their livestock had declined in numbers, but their 317 milk cows gave enough milk to make 8,000 pounds of butter and 40,000 pounds of cheese which sold for $8,000. Tyringham farmers also sold more than a hundred thousand pounds of dressed beef, pork, mutton, veal, and pork. They also made five thousand pounds of maple sugar and four hundred gallons of maple molasses valued at $1,500. This was a cash crop for the Shakers as well as many upland farmers with slopes too steep to plow and covered with the maple trees which are a significant part of Massachusetts forests.

Manufacturing continued to grow. The Shakers' rake factory employed nine men and made thirty thousand rakes in 1865. Two paper mills employing 22 men and 41 women made more than $110,000 worth of paper. In addition, Tyringham townspeople worked in two blacksmith shops, a boot and shoe factory, and five sawmills.

After the Tyringham Shakers left in 1875, their businesses closed and their farms were sold. One Shaker family's buildings on Jerusalem Road became a summer resort known as Fernside.

Although far fewer in number than in the past, Tyringham remains an agricultural community that includes working farms. Woven Roots Farm is a "hand scale farm" that uses traditional farming practices in community-supported agriculture program. It also offers educational programming and community partnerships. Hav's Farm is a working dairy farm.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.9 km2, of which 48.3 km2 is land and 0.6 km2, or 1.20%, is water. The town is four-sided, bordered by Lee to the north, Becket and Otis to the east, Monterey to the south, and Great Barrington to the west. Tyringham is located 16 mi south of Pittsfield, 39 mi west-northwest of Springfield, and 125 mi west of Boston.

Tyringham is located in the Hop Brook Valley in the Berkshire Hills. To the northeast of the valley, Baldy Mountain rises to a large plateau which stretches into the neighboring towns, and includes Goose Pond. To the southwest of the valley, two mountain peaks—Mount Wilcot and Hunger Mountain—rise in a plateau in neighboring Monterey.

Tyringham is one of just fifteen towns in Massachusetts (and only two, along with Mount Washington, in Berkshire County) which is not served by any type of state route. Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) and U.S. Route 20 pass just north of the town's northeastern corner, and Massachusetts Route 23 passes through neighboring Monterey to the south. The main road through town (named "Main Road") passes between this route to the south and Route 102 in Lee, just south of the point where it meets Route 20 at I-90 Exit 2. There are no rail or bus services in the town, with the nearest regional service for both being in Great Barrington (13 miles). The nearest scheduled air service is at Bradley International Airport, near Hartford, Connecticut (40 miles)

Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail passes through the town, a reflection of its remoteness. It winds down Sky Hill (a part of Mount Wilcot), then sweeps through the valley along Main Road, past the town center, leaving via Baldy Mountain and towards Becket Mountain. A pay telephone station for the hikers was installed near the Post Office. Informally, some residents on Main Road provide bed and breakfast, and hot showers, to hikers.

Climate
In a typical year, Tyringham, Massachusetts temperatures fall below 50 F for 205 days per year. Annual precipitation is typically 46.3 inches per year (high in the US) and snow covers the ground 69 days per year or 18.9% of the year (high in the US). It may be helpful to understand the yearly precipitation by imagining 9 straight days of moderate rain per year. The humidity is below 60% for approximately 18.4 days or 5.0% of the year.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 350 people, 133 households, and 98 families residing in the town. By population, the town ranks 30th out of 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 345th out of the 351 in Massachusetts. The population density was 18.7 people per square mile (7.2/km$2$), which ranks 28th in the county and 342nd in the Commonwealth. There were 265 housing units at an average density of 14.2 per square mile (5.5/km$2$). The racial makeup of the town was 95.43% White, 0.29% African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.57% Asian, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population.

There were 133 households, out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.2% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.6% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 18.9% from 25 to 44, 40.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $60,250, and the median income for a family was $67,679. Males had a median income of $42,708 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $35,503. None of the families and 3.5% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Government
Tyringham uses the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen and an administrative assistant. The town has a police department, fire department and post office, as well as a library, which is adjacent to the town hall and is part of the regional library network. The nearest courthouses and hospital, Fairview Hospital, are located in Great Barrington.

On the state level, Tyringham is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by the Fourth Berkshire district, which covers southern Berkshire County, as well as the westernmost towns in Hampden County. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is represented by the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties. The town is patrolled by the First (Lee) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, Tyringham is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district, and has been represented by Richard Neal of Springfield since January 2013. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey

Business
In 2000 there are no stores or other businesses in Tyringham. Near the Post Office is a small plaza of shuttered storefronts and stables. There is a library staffed by volunteers, and a congregational church. The only jobs are part-time: at the Post Office and for the town government (fire, police, maintenance of roads and records). The installation of a soda vending machine inside the fire station was the subject of much local comment. Many residents are commuters from jobs in Lee, Great Barrington, or Pittsfield. Some residents free-lance plowing snow in winter.

Education
Tyringham students are sent to Lee Public Schools by arrangement with that adjacent town. Lee Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grades, and the Lee Middle and High School serves students from seventh through twelfth grades. Additionally, neighboring Lee is home to Saint Mary's School, a parochial school which serves students through eighth grade. Other private schools can be found in Great Barrington and other surrounding towns.

The nearest community college is the South County Center of Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington 13 miles The nearest state college is Westfield State University (30 miles). The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock, in Great Barrington, the only college in the country that focuses on excellent young students who do not need to finish high school.

Points of interest

 * Santarella, also called "The Gingerbread House", home of sculptor Henry Hudson Kitson
 * Tyringham Shaker Settlement Historic District
 * Ashintully Gardens
 * Tyringham Cobble

Notable people

 * Brooke Astor owned a home in Tyringham with her husband Buddie Marshall, selling it following his death and before she became Mrs. Astor.
 * Grover Cleveland, U.S. President, spent time in Tyringham, enjoying fishing in the Hop Brook. In 1901, he was arrested and fined $2 for catching too many fish.
 * Maria Cole, widow of Nat "King" Cole, moved to Tyringham five years after his death.
 * Kitty Dukakis owned a home used as a vacation retreat for her husband, former governor Michael Dukakis.
 * George Gilder, investor, writer, economist, techno-utopian advocate; spent most of his childhood with his mother, Anne Spring (Alsop), and his stepfather, Gilder Palmer, on a dairy farm in Tyringham, where he still lives.
 * Rutherford B. Hayes, U. S. President; spent part of a summer in Tyringham, staying at a large house just to the north of the village that took in boarders, claiming their team met every train in Lee.
 * Sidney Howard, playwright and screenwriter; lived and died in Tyringham. Howard was the major screenwriter for David O. Selznick's 1939 epic Gone with the Wind
 * Yo-Yo Ma, Classical musician; has a residence in Tyringham and spends much of his time in the town.
 * William Roerick, actor; lived at his Lost Farm homestead in Tyringham; among the various visitors was E. M. Forster, who dedicated his last book, Two Cheers for Democracy to "William Roerick and 'The Lost Farm' in Tyringham, Massachusetts."
 * Mark Twain, writer; was a frequent visitor to Tyringham as the guest of Richard Watson Gilder and Helena de Kay Gilder. He spent a summer in Tyringham following the death of his daughter.
 * Sir Brian Urquhart, British diplomat and United Nations official; lived and died in the town.
 * According to Ruth Goldmuntz, a prominent Zionist who owned a home in Tyringham, Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel, spent time in Tyringham at Goldmuntz's home.

title: Tyringham, Massachusetts


text:
Washington, Massachusetts

Washington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 494 at the 2020 census.

History
Washington was first settled in 1760 and was officially incorporated in 1777. The town was known by several different names, including Greenoch, Watsontown and Hartville, before being renamed in 1784 for George Washington. The town has always been rural, with few small industries, known more for being along the stage road to Pittsfield and along the rail line later.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 100.5 sqkm, of which 98.4 sqkm is land and 2.1 sqkm, or 2.10%, is water. Located in central Berkshire County along the Hampshire County line, the town, which is roughly shaped, is bordered by Pittsfield to the northwest, Dalton, Hinsdale and Peru to the north, Middlefield to the east, Becket to the southeast, Lee to the southwest, and Lenox to the west. Washington is 39 mi northwest of Springfield and 123 mi west of Boston.

Washington lies within the Berkshire Hills, and its geography is dominated by October Mountain in the western part of town. The mountain, which is surrounded by the October Mountain State Forest, rises to its high plain above the banks of the Housatonic River, falling slowly eastward towards the valley where Depot Brook (which feeds into a branch of the Westfield River) and the east branch of the Housatonic rise. There are several small reservoirs and lakes throughout the town as well. Along the mountain, the Appalachian Trail crosses through town, and the town is home to the Bucksteep Manor Cross Country Ski Area.

Massachusetts Route 8 is the only state route through town, passing from Becket to Hinsdale. The nearest interstate highway, Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike), is accessible in neighboring Lee. The town has a rail line, the CSX Berkshire Subdivision, operated by CSX and used by Amtrak. The summit of the Berkshires on the rail line is 0.1 mi north of Summit Hill Road bridge in Washington. The nearest regional airport is Pittsfield Municipal Airport, and the nearest scheduled commercial passenger flights are at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 544 people, 203 households, and 163 families residing in the town. The town ranks 28th out of 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County by population, and 340th out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 14.4 people per square mile (5.6/km$2$), ranking it second to last in the county and sixth to last in the state. There were 236 housing units at an average density of 6.2 per square mile (2.4/km$2$). The racial makeup of the town was 99.45% White, 0.37% African American, and 0.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population.

There were 203 households, out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 32.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $54,583, and the median income for a family was $55,357. Males had a median income of $40,417 versus $27,143 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,610. About 4.8% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Washington uses the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. The town has its own police and public works department. Washington has no fire department or public library but relies on both Hinsdale and Becket having facilities. The nearest hospital, Berkshire Medical Center, is in Pittsfield.

On the state level, Washington is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as part of the Second Berkshire district, represented by Paul Mark, which covers central Berkshire County, as well as portions of Hampshire and Franklin counties. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, represented by Ben Downing, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties. The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police, and is the southernmost town in that station's patrol area.

On the national level, Washington is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district, and is represented by Richard Neal of Springfield since 2012. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey.

Education
Washington is one of the seven towns in the Central Berkshire Regional School District, the largest district (by land area) in the Commonwealth. Students in Washington attend the Beckett-Washington Elementary School in neighboring Becket for elementary school. All students in the district travel to Dalton to attend Nessacus Regional Middle School for sixth through eighth grades and Wahconah Regional High School for the high grades. There are no private schools in Washington, with the nearest being in the Pittsfield area.

The nearest community college is Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. The nearest state colleges are Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams and Westfield State University in Westfield, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Notable people

 * Arlo Guthrie, Folk singer
 * James Taylor, Singer-songwriter

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Washington, Massachusetts


text:
West Stockbridge, Massachusetts

West Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town had a population of 1,343 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
West Stockbridge was first settled in 1766 and was officially incorporated in 1774. The town grew out of Stockbridge, formerly known as Indiantown, and was originally called Queensborough. The area was part of the disputed border between Massachusetts and New York, which eventually left the town in its current state. The town grew as five separate villages (West Center, West Stockbridge, Freedleyville, Rockdale and Williamsville), with West Stockbridge growing the largest because of the railroad, which hauled iron ore and marble. The town had an ironworks in Williamsville, founded by Colonel Elijah Williams, and the furnace smokestack is the only part which remains of the works.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.4 sqkm, of which 47.8 sqkm is land and 0.4 sqkm, or 1.23%, is water.

West Stockbridge is bordered on the north by Richmond, on the east by Stockbridge, on the south by Great Barrington, on the southwest by Alford, and on the west by Austerlitz and Canaan, New York. West Stockbridge is 11 mi south-southwest of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 50 mi west-northwest of Springfield, 132 mi west of Boston, and 36 mi southeast of Albany, New York.

West Stockbridge is situated along the Williams River, a marshy tributary of the Housatonic River. To the northeast, West Stockbridge Mountain lies along the Stockbridge town line. To the southwest, Tom Ball Mountain rises above the Alford town line, and Harvey Mountain rises on the state border. Maple Hill rises in the center of town, and is covered by a wildlife management area.

Interstate 90, the Massachusetts Turnpike, crosses into the state in West Stockbridge. Exit 1, which solely consists of a western exit and eastern entrance, is located near the center of town, near the southern junction of Route 41 and Route 102, which begins on the state border in the village of State Line.

An abandoned rail line crosses through town, adjoining the active line in State Line and heading southward through town towards Great Barrington. The nearest regional transportation services can all be reached in Pittsfield, including bus, Amtrak and air service. The nearest national air service is at Albany International Airport in New York.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,416 people, 601 households, and 406 families residing in the town. By population, West Stockbridge ranks 18th out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 310th out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 76.6 PD/sqmi, which rank 15th in the county and 299th in the Commonwealth. There were 769 housing units at an average density of 41.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.09% White, 0.28% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 601 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $120,000, and the median income for a family was $100,000. Males had a median income of $95,000 versus $79,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $90,000. About 1.8% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government
West Stockbridge employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a Select Board and a Town Administrator. The town has its own services, including police, fire and public works, as well as a post office. The town operates a library four days a week, which is connected to the regional library systems.

On the state level, West Stockbridge is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by the Fourth Berkshire district, which covers southern Berkshire County, as well as the westernmost towns in Hampden County. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is represented by the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties. The town is patrolled by the First (Lee) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, West Stockbridge is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district, and is represented by Richard Neal. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey.

Education
West Stockbridge is a member of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District, along with Stockbridge and Great Barrington, which hosts all the district's schools. All students in the district attend the Muddy Brook Regional School from pre-kindergarten through fourth grades. Middle school students attend Monument Valley Regional Middle School, and high school students attend Monument Mountain Regional High School. Prior to creation of the regional district, high school students in West Stockbridge attended the former Williams High School in Stockbridge. There are private schools located in the nearby towns of Great Barrington and Lenox which are also open to students from the town.

The nearest community college is the South County branch of Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington. The nearest state college is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock, also in Great Barrington.

Culture
Turn Park Art Space, an art museum, sculpture park, and performance space, opened on the site of a former limestone and marble quarry in May 2017.

title: West Stockbridge, Massachusetts


text:
Windsor, Massachusetts

Windsor is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The population was 831 at the 2020 census.

History
Windsor was first settled in 1767 and was officially incorporated in 1771. The town was named for Windsor, Connecticut, where many of the settlers emigrated from. Originally, the town was named "Gageborough" in honor of British General Thomas Gage, but was changed due to the general's Revolutionary War affiliation.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 91.1 sqkm, of which 90.6 sqkm is land and 0.4 sqkm, or 0.49%, is water. Windsor is mostly rectangular-shaped, and lies along the eastern border of Berkshire County with Hampshire County. It is bordered by Savoy to the north, Plainfield to the northeast and east, Cummington to the southeast, Peru and Hinsdale to the south, Dalton to the southwest, and Cheshire to the northwest. Windsor is 12 mi northeast of Pittsfield, 45 mi northwest of Springfield, and 120 mi west-northwest of Boston.

Windsor is located on a plateau in the Berkshire Hills, and lies near the source of the Westfield River. The river runs southward through the northeastern part of town, flowing through Windsor State Forest. One of the river's feeder brooks flows through the Windsor Jambs, a series of rocky waterfalls. The town is dotted with wildlife management areas, including all of Eugene Moran Wildlife Management Area, as well as portions of the Chalet, Peru and Savoy Wildlife Management Areas.

Windsor is located at the junction of Massachusetts Route 9 and Route 8A, with the two running concurrently west from the junction. Near the northeast corner of town, Route 8A grazes the border (at which point it is combined with Route 116), with a small neighborhood lying around Windsor Pond.

The town has no bus or rail service, with the nearest access to both being in Pittsfield. The Pittsfield Municipal Airport is the nearest regional airport, and the town is located roughly equidistantly between Albany International Airport and Bradley International Airport, the two nearest airports with national service.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 875 people, 328 households, and 248 families residing in the town. By population, Windsor ranks 22nd out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 329th out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 25.0 people per square mile (9.7/km$2$), and ranks 25th in the county and 334th in the commonwealth. There were 474 housing units at an average density of 13.5 per square mile (5.2/km$2$). The racial makeup of the town was 98.86% White, 0.34% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.11% of the population.

There were 328 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,389, and the median income for a family was $57,500. Males had a median income of $41,053 versus $24,808 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,794. About 4.3% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Windsor employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. The town has its own services, including police, fire and public works departments. The town's public library is located adjacent to the town hall, and is connected to the regional library system. The nearest hospital, Berkshire Medical Center, is located in Pittsfield.

On the state level, Windsor is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as part of the Second Berkshire district, represented by Paul Mark, which covers central Berkshire County, as well as portions of Hampshire and Franklin counties. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, represented by Ben Downing, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties. The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, Windsor is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district, and is represented by Richard Neal of Springfield. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey.

Education
Windsor is a member town of the Central Berkshire Regional School District. All students in the district attend the Nessacus Regional Middle School for the middle grades, and Wahconah Regional High School for the upper grades. Both schools are located in Dalton. The nearest parochial school is in Dalton, and the nearest private schools are in Pittsfield.

The nearest community college is Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. The nearest state college is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Point of interest

 * Notchview, a 3100 acre reservation managed by the Trustees of Reservations, open to cross country skiers along with other forms of outdoor recreation

Notable people

 * Alfred E. Bates, U.S. Army major general
 * Daniel Sabin Butrick, minister and author
 * Stephen Philbrick, minister, author, and poet

title: Windsor, Massachusetts


text:
Acushnet, Massachusetts

Acushnet is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,559 at the 2020 census.

Acushnet is a part of the South Coast region of Massachusetts which encompasses the cities and towns that surround Buzzards Bay (excluding the Elizabeth Islands, Bourne and Falmouth), Mount Hope Bay and the Sakonnet River.

History
Acushnet was first settled in 1659. It has been included as a part of three separate towns throughout its history. It was formerly the northeastern section of the town of Dartmouth, as well as Old Dartmouth, which included the towns of Westport, New Bedford, and Fairhaven. In 1787, New Bedford separated from Dartmouth, and included the lands of Fairhaven and Acushnet. In 1812, Fairhaven was incorporated as a separate town, again including the lands of Acushnet. Finally, the town was officially incorporated in 1860. The name "Acushnet", which is also the name of the river the town lies on, comes from the Wampanoag Cushnea, meaning "peaceful resting place near water", originally designating the fact that the tribe which sold the land to the Puritans inhabited the lands leading up to the river.

In 1841, Herman Melville joined the crew of the whaler Acushnet. He later wrote about his travels at sea culminating in the novel Moby Dick.

In 1910, the Acushnet Process Company (now the Acushnet Company), was founded in the town, and continues to be one of Southeastern Massachusetts's most enduring industries. The Acushnet Company owns the Titleist brand name, under which golf balls, golf clubs, and other golf paraphernalia are marketed.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 49.1 km2, of which 47.7 km2 is land and 1.4 km2, or 2.76%, is water. Acushnet is bordered to the east and northeast by Rochester, to the southeast by Mattapoisett, to the south by Fairhaven, to the west by New Bedford, and to the northwest by Freetown. The town line between Acushnet, Rochester and Mattapoisett forms a portion of the border between Bristol and Plymouth counties. Acushnet lies approximately 50 mi south of Boston, 20 mi west of Cape Cod, 4 mi north of Buzzards Bay, and 30 mi southeast of Providence, Rhode Island.

Acushnet contains the Acushnet Center census-designated place, which is the most densely-populated part of town. The CDP contains 28.7% of the town's overall population and just 7.7% of its land area.

Acushnet lies along the Acushnet River and its tributaries, including the Keene River and Squinn Brook, which feed the New Bedford Reservoir, in turn feeding the Acushnet. The Acushnet River is the town line between it and New Bedford south of Main Street. There are several other ponds in the town, including Hamlin's Mill Pond (along the Acushnet), East Pond and a portion of Tinkham Pond, which lies along the Mattapoisett town line. The town lies within the coastal plain, mostly below 80 ft elevation, with higher points around Mendon and Perry Hills in the southeast of town and in the Sassaquin area in the northwest corner of town, where the highest point in town rises slightly above 160 ft above sea level. Most of the town's population lies along the New Bedford line, with the biggest area being in the southwest corner of the town, near the town hall.

Transportation
A short, 2.8 mi stretch of Route 105 passes through the northeast corner of town, both entering and exiting through Rochester. Otherwise, the town contains no state or federal highways. Route 18 and Route 140 both pass through New Bedford to the west of town, with the former passing within feet of the town line as it enters Freetown. Interstate 195, the nearest interstate to the town, passes just south of the town through Fairhaven, with the nearest exits being Exits 27–29.

SRTA operates a short bus route through the southern part of town, which links to Fairhaven. There is no rail service or airports within the town. The Middleborough/Lakeville Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system is currently in the process of expanding their route to end in neighboring New Bedford. New Bedford also has the nearest airport, the New Bedford Regional Airport. The nearest airport with national service is T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island, 40 mi to the west.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the mean travel time to work among residents was 28.4 minutes.

Demographics
As the 2020 census, there were 10,558 residents in the town, with a population density of 573.0 PD/sqmi.

18.3% of residents were under 18 years of age, with 3.7% under 5 years. 21.5% of residents were age 65 or older. 52.3% of the population was female.

The racial makeup of the town was 93.9% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population. 8.3% of residents were born outside the United States. 13.1% of residents aged 5 years or older spoke a language other than English at home.

There were 4,108 households, with an average household size was 2.57.

In 2022, the median income for a household in the town was $88,196, and the median income per capita was $44,630. About 6.4% of the population was below the poverty line.

Government
Acushnet uses the town meeting form of government, with open town meetings and the Board of Selectmen leading the Town Administrator. The town has its own police force, and two fire stations, near the population center of town and in the northeast corner of town.

Acushnet is divided into three electoral precincts. Precinct 1 contains the southern part of town, including Acushnet Center. Precincts 2 and 3 encompass the northwestern and northeastern sections of the town, respectively.

On the state level, Acushnet is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by William Straus in Precinct 1 (10th Bristol District) and by Paul Schmid in Precincts 2 and 3 (8th Bristol district); it is represented in the Massachusetts Senate by Mark Montigny (2nd Bristol and Plymouth district). On the federal level, Acushnet is part of Massachusetts's 9th congressional district, which is represented by William R. Keating; it is represented in the United States Senate by Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.

Library
The town of Acushnet first established a free library in 1896. The town's Russell Memorial Library, dedicated to a member of the prominent Russell family of New Bedford, lies in the town's population center. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Acushnet spent 0.87% ($189,813) of its budget on its public library—some $18 per person.

On December 5, 2015, Russell Memorial Library closed its doors to relocate to the former Marie S. Howard School on Middle Road. The Acushnet Public Library opened on December 21, 2015.

Education
The Acushnet Public School District contains two public schools, an elementary school and a middle school. The Acushnet Elementary School serves students from preschool to fourth grade, and the Albert F. Ford Middle School serves students from fifth to eighth grade. The schools are located next to each other on Middle Road, near the geographic center of town.

Rising high school students are able to attend one of two public high schools in neighboring municipalities: Fairhaven High School of the Fairhaven Public School District to the south, or New Bedford High School of New Bedford Public Schools to the west. High school students may also choose to attend Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School in neighboring Rochester, Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, or any other local private high school.

The town is also home to Saint Francis Xavier School, a private Catholic school serving kindergarten through eighth grade.

Notable people

 * Pat Flynn, Frontman of Straight Edge Hardcore band Have Heart and post-hardcore band Fiddlehead
 * Antonio Gattorno (1904–1980), leader in the Cuban Modern Art
 * Gideon Nye (1812–1888), merchant in the China trade
 * Clement Nye Swift (1846–1918), painter

title: Acushnet, Massachusetts


text:
Acushnet Center, Massachusetts

Acushnet Center is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Acushnet in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,030 at the 2020 census, which was 28.7% of the population of the entire town.

Geography
Acushnet Center is located entirely within the town of Acushnet.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.7 sqkm, of which 0.05 sqkm, or 1.30%, is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,171 people, 1,266 households, and 862 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 838.6/km$2$ (2,178.8/mi2). There were 1,305 housing units at an average density of 345.1/km$2$ (896.7/mi2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.88% White, 0.66% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.01% of the population.

There were 1,266 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,890, and the median income for a family was $52,446. Males had a median income of $36,321 versus $24,087 for females. The per capita income for the village was $21,181. About 2.4% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

title: Acushnet Center, Massachusetts


text:
Attleboro, Massachusetts

Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It was once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers. According to the 2020 census, Attleboro had a population of 46,461.

History
In 1634, English settlers first arrived in the territory that is now Attleboro. The deed that granted them the land was written by Native American Wamsutta. The land. It included the towns of Cumberland, Rhode Island, until 1747 and North Attleborough, Massachusetts, until 1887. In 1697 in response to an unwanted amount of disturbances, mainly from nearby tribes of natives, the town had a meeting and ended up deciding that selectmen would keep tabs on strangers and foreigners as well as banning certain ones from entering the town. The town was reincorporated in 1914 as the City of Attleboro, with the "-ugh" removed from the name, although North Attleborough kept it. Like many towns in Massachusetts, it was named after a British town, in this case a market town in Norfolk, England.

During the Native American insurgency in the colonial era, Nathaniel Woodcock, the son of an Attleborough resident, was murdered, and his head was placed on a pole in his father's front yard. His father's house is now a historical site. It is rumored that George Washington once passed through Attleborough and stayed near the Woodcock Garrison House at the Hatch Tavern, where he exchanged a shoe buckle with Israel Hatch, a revolutionary soldier and the new owner of the Garrison House.

The city became known for jewelry manufacturing in 1913, particularly because of the L.G. Balfour Company. That company has since moved out of the city, and the site of the former plant has been converted into a riverfront park. Attleboro was once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World", and jewelry manufacturing firms continue to operate there. One such is the Guyot Brothers Company, which was started in 1904. General Findings, M.S. Company, James A. Murphy Co., Garlan Chain, Leach & Garner, and Masters of Design are jewelry manufacturing companies still in operation.

Cancer cluster
In late 2003, The Sun Chronicle reported that a state investigation had been launched into the deaths of three women in the city from glioblastoma. In 2007, the State of Massachusetts issued a report concluding that although the diagnosis rate for brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancers was higher than expected when compared to statewide data, the increase was determined not to be statistically significant.

Scorecard, Environmental Defense's online database of polluters, lists seven facilities contributing to cancer hazards in Attleboro, including Engineered Materials Solutions Inc., the worst offender in Massachusetts.

Shpack Landfill contamination incident
In 2002, the Massachusetts Public Health Department was asked to evaluate the former Shpack Landfill, on the border of Norton and Attleboro, for its cancer risks. The investigation continued at least through 2004. The informal landfill included uranium fuel rods, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds.

Geography

Attleboro has an area of 71.930 sqkm, of which 69.356 sqkm is land and 2.574 sqkm, or 3.59%, is water. Its borders form an irregular polygon that resembles a truncated triangle pointing west. It is bordered by North Attleborough to the north, Mansfield and Norton to the east, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to the south, and Cumberland, Rhode Island, to the west, as well as sharing a short border with Central Falls, Rhode Island through the Blackstone River. It includes the areas known as City Center, Briggs Corner, West Attleboro, East Corner, East Attleboro, North Corner, Maple Square, Camp Hebron, Oak Hill, Dodgeville, East Junction, Hebronville, Park Square, and South Attleboro.

Waterways in the city include the Ten Mile River, fed by the Bungay River, the Manchester Pond Reservoir, and several small ponds.

Attleboro's highest point is 76 m Oak Hill, in the southern part of the city, north of Oak Hill Avenue.

Attleboro is on the border between the Massachusetts and Rhode Island regional dialects of New England English: the eastern part of the city is in the same dialect region as Boston, and the western part in the same dialect region as Providence.

Demographics

Attleboro is part of the Providence metropolitan area. It is a short distance from Boston, and is linked to the Boston metropolitan area.

As of the 2010 census, there were 43,593 people, 16,884 households, and 11,212 families living in the city; the population density was 1626.6 PD/sqmi. There were 18,022 housing units at an average density of 672.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 87.1% White, 3.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 4.5% Asian (1.5% Cambodian,1.3% Indian, 0.4% Chinese, 0.4% Vietnamese) 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.8% some other race, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic and Latino people of any race made up 6.3% of the total (2.0% Puerto Rican, 1.7% Guatemalan, 0.5% Mexican, 0.4% Salvadoran, 0.3% Dominican, 0.2% Colombian). Most of the Hispanic and Asian populations were concentrated in the eastern portion.

Of the 16,884 households, 33.3% had someone under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were headed by married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.6% were non-families, 26.4% were individuals, and 9.8% were people aged 65 or older living alone. The average size of household was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.11.

The age distribution in the city was: 22.7% under 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% over 64. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

For the period 2009–2011, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $63,647, and the median income for a family was $71,091. Male full-time workers had a median income of $52,558, females $40,954. Per capita income was $30,039. About 4.2% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under 18 and 7.8% of those aged 65 or over.

Revitalization efforts

In 2011, Attleboro was awarded $5.4 million in state and federal funding to support revitalization efforts in its historic downtown area. The funds were intended to transform underutilized industrial and commercial parcels into areas of mixed use that included commercial, recreational, and residential space, as well as improvements to MBTA rail and GATRA bus services, and road improvements.

Attractions
Attleboro has four museums.
 * The Attleboro Arts Museum
 * The Attleboro Area Industrial Museum,
 * The Women at Work Museum
 * The Museum at the Mill.

Other places of interest in the city include:

 * Capron Park Zoo;
 * L.G. Balfour Riverwalk, which was once the site of the L.G. Balfour jewelry plant, adjacent to the downtown business district
 * La Salette Shrine, which has a display of Christmas lights
 * Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, 75 acres owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society with a visitor center
 * Triboro Youth Theatre / Triboro Musical Theatre;
 * Attleboro Community Theatre; *Dodgeville Mill.
 * Skyroc Brewery
 * Attleboro Farmers Market

In 2017, Attleboro began hosting the annual Jewelry City Steampunk Festival.

The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette
In 1942, the Missionaries of La Salette purchased 135 acres and a castle in Attleboro for use as a seminary. The shrine opened to the public in 1953 with a Christmas manger display. The annual Christmas Festival of Lights has grown to 300,000 lights and attracts about 250,000 visitors each year. A devastating fire destroyed the castle on November 5, 1999. A new welcome center opened in 2007 which includes a 600-seat concert hall. In addition to the Christmas Festival, the shrine offers programs, concerts, workshops and events throughout the year. The grounds also include Our Lady's Chapel of Lights, an outdoor chapel, and a church.

Parks and recreation
There are over 20 conservation areas amounting to more than 600 acres of walkable woods: the Antony Lawrence Preserve, Coleman Reservation, Attleboro Springs, and the Bungay River Conservation Area in the north of the city.

Municipal
Attleboro has a mayor-council government. The city council acts as the legislative body, and the mayor handles traditional day-to-day chief executive functions. City councilors can run as either a representative of a city ward or at large. There are 11 councilors: five at-large and six ward councilors. The mayor is former City Councilor At-Large Cathleen DeSimone. The president of the Municipal Council is Jay DiLisio and the vice president is Todd Kobus. City Clerk Kate Jackson serves as clerk of the Municipal Council and Virginia Stuart is the administrative assistant.

Mayor
Cathleen DeSimone

Council Members

 * James Dilisio, At-Large
 * Ty Waterman, At-Large
 * Jonathan Tavares, At-Large
 * Laurie Sawyer, At-Large
 * Nicholas Lavoie, At-Large
 * Sara Lynn Reynolds, Ward 1
 * Pamela Foa, Ward 2
 * Todd Kobus, Ward 3
 * Michael Angelo, Ward 4
 * Laura Dolan, Ward 5
 * Diana Holmes, Ward 6

State and federal
Attleboro is represented in the state legislature by officials elected from the following districts:
 * Massachusetts Senate's Bristol and Norfolk district
 * Massachusetts Senate's Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex district
 * Massachusetts House of Representatives' 2nd Bristol district
 * Massachusetts House of Representatives' 14th Bristol district

Elected members:
 * Massachusetts House of Representatives: Adam Scanlon (D) and Jim Hawkins (D)
 * Massachusetts Senate: Paul Feeney (D)
 * United States House of Representatives: Jake Auchincloss (D-MA-04)
 * United States Senate: Elizabeth Warren (D) and Ed Markey (D)

Education
Attleboro's school district has five elementary schools (Hill-Roberts, Hyman Fine, A. Irvin Studley, Peter Thacher and Thomas Willett), three middle schools (Brennan, Coelho and Wamsutta), and two high schools (Attleboro High School, and Attleboro Community Academy). Attleboro High School has its own vocational division, and its football team (the "Blue Bombardiers") has a traditional rivalry with North Attleborough High School, whom they play in their Thanksgiving Day football game. Attleboro Community Academy is a night school for students aged 16–25 to obtain their high school diplomas and could not function in traditional high school. Bishop Feehan High School is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school that opened in 1961 and is named for Bishop Daniel Francis Feehan, second Bishop of the Diocese of Fall River. The city also has a satellite branch of Bristol Community College, formerly housed in the city's former high school building but since relocated to an old Texas Instruments site. Bridgewater State University opened a satellite site in Attleboro in 2009, sharing space with Bristol Community College.

Attleboro High School
The former high school building was built in the 1960s, and added wings in several renovations throughout the years. The city of Attleboro voted on whether to build a new school or renovate the building, and "reached an agreement to put proceeds from the sale toward the cost of a new high school before the $260 million was approved by voters last spring." The sale of the first Attleboro High School built in 1912 on County Street gave the city funds for the new building. The new Attleboro High School opened in 2022.

Transportation
Attleboro is beside Interstate 95 (which enters the state between Attleboro and Pawtucket, Rhode Island), I-295 (whose northern terminus is near the North Attleborough town line at I-95), US Route 1, and Routes 1A, 118, 123 and 152, the last three of which intersect at Attleboro center. The proposed Interstate 895 was to run through Attleboro and have a junction at the present day I-295/I-95 terminus. When driving from Rhode Island on I-295, the stub exits before the half-cloverleaf exit to I-95.

The city is home to two MBTA commuter rail stations: one in the downtown area and one in the South Attleboro district, near the Rhode Island border. Attleboro and Taunton are both served by the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority, or GATRA, which provides bus transit between the two cities and the surrounding regions.

Notable people

 * Artine Artinian (1907–2005), scholar of French literature
 * Cathy Berberian (1925–1983), composer, mezzo-soprano singer, and vocalist born in Attleboro
 * Roger Bowen (1932–1996), comedic actor known for his portrayal of Lt. Col. Henry Blake in the 1970 film MASH; co-founder of comedy troupe The Second City
 * George Bradburn (1806–1880), an American politician and Unitarian minister in Massachusetts, known for his support for abolitionism and women's rights
 * Jonathan P. Braga (b.1969) United States Army lieutenant general
 * Geoff Cameron (born 1985), professional soccer player
 * Horace Capron (1804–1885), Union Army officer during the Civil War and later an agricultural advisor to Japan; his methods revolutionized Japanese agriculture
 * David Cobb (1748–1830), major general of the Continental Army, speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, United States Congressman from Massachusetts
 * Ray Conniff (1916–2002), Easy listening recording artist
 * Mark Coogan (born 1966), coach and retired American track athlete, first Massachusetts native to run the mile in under four minutes, placing 41st with a time of 2:20:27, after placing second in the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon with at time of 2:13:05
 * David Daggett (1764–1851), United States Senator, associate justice of Connecticut Supreme Court, mayor of New Haven, Connecticut, and a founder of the Yale Law School
 * Naphtali Daggett (1727–1780), Presbyterian clergyman, professor of divinity at Yale University, fought in the American Revolutionary War
 * Gilbert Franklin (1919–2004), American sculptor, educator
 * Paul G. Gaffney II, President, Monmouth University, US Navy Vice Admiral (Ret.), former Chief of Naval Research, President of National Defense University
 * Steve Hagerty, 21st Mayor of Evanston, IL, and Founder and CEO of Hagerty Consulting, Inc
 * Thomas Hobson, American actor, singer; Best known for his role as Shout in The Fresh Beat Band
 * William Manchester (1922–2004), historian and biographer, author of The Death of a President
 * Jonathan Maxcy (1768–1820), Baptist clergyman and president of Brown University
 * Virgil Maxcy (1785–1844), member of the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland State Senate, later first solicitor of the treasury and chargé d'affaires at the United States embassy in Belgium
 * Christian Petersen (1885–1961), sculptor who worked as a die-cutter in Attleboro
 * Helen Watson Phelps (1864–1944), painter
 * Daniel Read (1757–1836), composer, who published 400 hymns in several collections
 * Robert Rounseville (1914–1974), operatic tenor, who appeared in the films The Tales of Hoffmann and Carousel, and onstage in the original productions of the musicals Candide and Man of La Mancha
 * Ken Ryan (born 1968), former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.
 * Howard Smith (1893–1968), American actor, singer
 * Abby Trott, voice actress and singer best known as the voice of Nezuko Kamado in the English dubs of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, and Ivy in Carmen Sandiego.
 * Robert A. Weygand (born 1948), U.S. representative
 * Emory Rounds. Attorney and government ethics official-born in Attleboro. In 2018, he was appointed director of the United States Office of Government Ethics.

title: Attleboro, Massachusetts


text:
Berkley, Massachusetts

Berkley is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston and east of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 6,764 according to the 2020 census, making it the least populated town in the county.

Berkley is a part of the South Coast region of Massachusetts which encompasses the cities and towns that surround Buzzards Bay (excluding the Elizabeth Islands, Bourne and Falmouth), Mount Hope Bay and the Sakonnet River.

History
The present town of Berkley, then belonging to the neighboring towns of Dighton and Taunton, was first settled in 1638. It was officially incorporated as a separate town in 1735. The town was named for the philosopher and bishop George Berkeley (1685–1753), who lived in Newport, Rhode Island from 1728 to 1731. The change in the spelling to "Berkley" was likely due to the carelessness of the engrossing clerk of the Massachusetts General Court.

Berkley's old Town Hall, a two-story white clapboard building located on Berkley Common, was built in 1849. When a new Town Hall was built across the street in 2015, the Old Town Hall became home to the Berkley Historical Society. The new 9,778-square-foot Town Hall was built in 2014–2015, at a cost of $3.5 million. The new building contains a senior center, office, kitchen, and high-efficiency LED lighting.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 45.1 km2, of which 42.8 km2 is land and 2.4 km2, or 5.24%, is water. The town is bordered by the Taunton River and Dighton to the west, Taunton to the north and northeast, Lakeville to the east, and the Assonet Bay and Freetown to the south. The town is located 35 mi south of Boston, 22 mi east of Providence, Rhode Island, and 30 mi northwest of the Cape Cod Canal.

Near the southwestern corner of the town is Dighton Rock State Park, the home of Dighton Rock, a tidal boulder along the Taunton River that is well known for its strange markings, which have been totally or partly attributed to Norsemen, Wampanoags, or Portuguese explorer Miguel Corte-Real. At the southern tip of Berkley Neck which points into the confluence of the Taunton River and the Assonet River, there is a small island, named "Conspiracy Island", whose name origin remains obscure.

The highest point in Berkley is the summit of Bryant Hill near the southern border of the town, at 51 m above sea level.

The town can be accessed by two state routes, Route 24 and Route 79. Route 24, a four-lane divided freeway, bisects the town, and includes one exit for the town at Padelford Street. Route 79 passes along the town's border with Lakeville, and meets Route 140 just across the town line in Taunton. The Berkley–Dighton Bridge crosses the Taunton River to the Segreganset neighborhood of Dighton. The current bridge was completed in 2015, and is the only bridge to cross the river between the Brightman Street Bridge between Fall River and Somerset, and the Plain Street Bridge in Taunton, a distance of 12.5 mi.

Myricks is an association community or populated place (Class Code U6) and a junction of railroad lines in Berkley.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,749 people, 1,843 households, and 1,566 families residing in the town. The population density was 347.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,885 housing units at an average density of 114.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 1,843 households, out of which 47.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.0% were non-families. 10.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 36.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $66,295, and the median income for a family was $69,222. Males had a median income of $45,154 versus $31,639 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,652. About 0.7% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Town government
Executive Branch: Three-member Board of Selectmen with three-year staggered terms.

Joe Freitas: Chairman

Wendy F. Cochrane: Member

Tabitha McCrohan: Member

Town Administrator: Matthew Chabot

Legislative Branch: Open Town Meeting.

State government
Representative in General Court
 * Norman Orrall (R-Lakeville), 12th Bristol District

Senator in General Court
 * Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton), 1st Plymouth and Bristol District

Governor's Councillor
 * Joseph C. Ferreira (D-Somerset), 1st District

Federal government
Representative to the United States House of Representatives
 * Jake Auchincloss (D-Newton) (4th Massachusetts District)

Senators in the United States Senate
 * Ed Markey (D)
 * Elizabeth Warren (D)

Education

 * Berkley Community School – Grades Pre-K through 4 : South Main Street, Berkley, MA
 * Berkley Middle School – Grades 5 through 8 : North Main Street, Berkley, MA
 * Somerset Berkley Regional High School – Grades 9 through 12 : 625 County Street, Somerset, MA (beginning in Fall 2011)

High school students may also attend Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School in Taunton, or local private and parochial schools; the closest Catholic high school is Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River.

Local attractions
The Bridge Village Heritage Park at 70 Elm Street is a tiny park at the foot of the Berkley-Dighton Bridge on the Taunton River. It is a spot for fishing, picknicking, and putting in a canoe or kayak. Opened in October 2006, this .5 acre area is aimed at canoeing and kayaking. Motor boats and boats in tow are prohibited.

Dighton Rock State Park is a park that holds the Dighton Rock, a boulder with petroglyphs of uncertain age and authorship, in a museum on an 85 acre site on the Taunton River. Trails and a stage for theatre productions highlight the park.

Berkley Congregational Church was established just two years after the town's founding in 1735. Located at 13 South Main Street, the church has offered continuous religious services since its inception.

Notable people

 * Thomas Andros, minister at Berkley for 46 years
 * C. G. W. French, jurist and politician, was born in Berkley
 * Tony Gaffney, basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, lived in Berkley

title: Berkley, Massachusetts


text:
Bliss Corner, Massachusetts

Bliss Corner is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Dartmouth in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,280 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Bliss Corner is located at 41.60639°N, -70.94194°W (41.606464, -70.941827).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.2 km2, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,466 people, 2,309 households, and 1,477 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,050.0 /km2. There were 2,410 housing units at an average density of 462.9 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.88% White, 0.70% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 1.02% from other races, and 2.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 2,309 households, out of which 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 18.1% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 28.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,610, and the median income for a family was $48,125. Males had a median income of $36,026 versus $26,726 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $22,109. About 2.8% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

title: Bliss Corner, Massachusetts