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Egremont, Massachusetts

Egremont is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,372 at the 2020 census. Egremont consists of two villages, North Egremont and South Egremont, and their outlying areas, which are mostly lightly settled forests and farmland.

History
Egremont was first settled in 1722 by Dutch settlers from New York. English settlers arrived a few years later, and the town was officially incorporated by Massachusetts in 1761. It is unclear whether the town is named for the English town or for the first Earl of Egremont, whose title was created shortly after Egremont's settlement. For much of its history, Egremont has been an agricultural town, with only a small milling area around South Egremont.

Around New Year's Day, 1776, General Henry Knox passed through the town with cannons from Fort Ticonderoga, which he was bringing to help end the Siege of Boston. Today, the path is known as the Knox Trail, and a historical marker is located in the village of North Egremont.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 49.0 km2, of which 48.4 km2 is land and 0.6 km2, or 1.26%, is water. Egremont lies along the western border of Berkshire County and Massachusetts, with Columbia County, New York, to the west. The town is bordered by Alford to the north, Great Barrington to the east, Sheffield to the southeast, Mount Washington to the southwest, and Copake and Hillsdale, New York, to the west. Egremont is 23 mi south-southwest of Pittsfield, 50 mi west of Springfield, 140 mi west of Boston, and 48 mi southeast of Albany, New York.

Egremont is situated in a valley east of the Taconic Range. To the southwest, Mount Whitbeck divides the town from Mount Washington, and to the west, Mount Fray and several other mountains divide the town from New York proper. Mount Fray is the site of the Catamount Ski Area, which is located both in Egremont, Massachusetts and Hillsdale, New York, and is one of only four ski areas in the United States to be located in two states.. Mount Whitbeck and its neighbor, the Jug End, make up the Jug End State Reservation and Wildlife Management Area. The Appalachian Trail extends through the reservation, before turning east at the Jug End towards Great Barrington. The town lies along the Green River, a tributary of the Housatonic River. Several brooks also flow through the town, with one being dammed to form the Mill Pond in South Egremont.

In South Egremont, Massachusetts Route 23 and Route 41 meet just northeast of the Mill Pond, traveling together into Great Barrington. The western end of Route 23 is at the state border within town, where it becomes New York State Route 23. Massachusetts Route 71, which carries part of the Knox Trail, also passes through the town, from Alford to the north to Great Barrington to the east. The highway does not meet the other two, however, until well into Great Barrington. The nearest interstate, Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike), is located north of town, with the nearest exit, the "turn-around" Exit 1, being 12 mi to the north in West Stockbridge. There is no rail, bus or air service in town, with the nearest for all three being in Great Barrington. The nearest national air service can be found at Albany International Airport in Albany, New York.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,345 people, 609 households, and 408 families residing in the town. By population, Egremont ranks twentieth out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 315th out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 71.4 PD/sqmi, which ranks 16th in the county and 301st in the Commonwealth. There were 866 housing units at an average density of 46.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.36% European American, 0.07% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.04% of the population.

There were 609 households, out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.3% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 34.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $60,104. Males had a median income of $40,885 versus $31,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $41,702. About 4.3% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Egremont employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen and an administrative assistant. Egremont has its own police, fire and public works departments, and its post office also serves neighboring Mount Washington. The town's library, located in South Egremont, is connected to the regional library networks. A 150 acre public park, located in North Egremont, has tennis courts, ball fields, a modern children's playground, a dog park, a riding ring, hiking and equestrian trails, picnic shelters, and other features.

On the state level, Egremont 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 employs a professional full-time Police Department, and recently completed its first stand alone Police facility. Egremont is also patrolled by the First (Lee) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, Egremont 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.

Education
Egremont is one of five towns that operate the Southern Berkshire Regional School District (neighboring Mount Washington also sends students to the district's schools). Kindergarten and first-grade students from Egremont and Mount Washington attend either the South Egremont School, a one-room school-house for early-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grades, or the Undermountain Elementary School in Sheffield, which serves students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Sixth- through twelfth-graders attend Mount Everett Regional School. There are private schools in adjacent Great Barrington, Sheffield, Salisbury and Lakeville (in Connecticut) and other nearby towns.

The nearest community college is the South County Center of Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington. The nearest state university is Westfield State University. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington.

title: Egremont, Massachusetts


text:
Florida, Massachusetts

Florida is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to the east portal of the Hoosac Tunnel, as well as Whitcomb Summit (elevation 2172 ft), the highest point of the Mohawk Trail. Florida contains the village of Drury. At the 2020 census the town had a total population of 694. Despite the town’s name, Florida is statistically the coldest and snowiest town in Massachusetts.

History
The area was first settled by Europeans as part of the Equivalent Lands (specifically, the "Berkshire Equivalent"). Most of what is now Florida was originally a grant to the town of Bernardston, Massachusetts made sometime before 1771. The first settler, Dr. Daniel Nelson, arrived around 1783. The town was incorporated in 1805 and named "Florida", perhaps because Spanish Florida was a topic of conversation at the time.

The town was mostly agrarian, with maple syrup, wool, and potatoes its main products for many years. However, in the mid-nineteenth century, the town was a boom town for the workers involved in the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel, a rail tunnel which begins on the town's eastern border and extends through the Hoosac Range to neighboring North Adams.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his American Notebooks, names the town as Lebrida, not Florida, and speaks of the Hoosac Range as "the Green Mountain" in the singular. It is possible that the name Lebrida was a corruption of Florida; or the other way around. While the reference to "the Green Mountain" evidently reflects local tradition of the time (1838), and may in fact be what gave the name Green Mountains to the entire range, as another mountain in Vermont also bears the name Green Mountain.

Today, the town is sparsely populated, with most residents working in neighboring towns. In 2012, the Hoosac Wind Power Project was constructed in Florida and the neighboring town of Monroe.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 63.7 km2, of which 63.1 km2 is land and 0.6 km2, or 0.93%, is water.

Florida is located at 42° 39'57.77"N, 72° 56'29.38"W. It is bordered on the north by Stamford, Vermont, on the northeast by Monroe, on the east by Rowe, on the southeast by Charlemont, on the south by Savoy, on the southwest by Adams, and on the west by North Adams and Clarksburg. The town's population is mostly concentrated along the Mohawk Trail, which runs through the town, and its villages, Drury, Florida and Whitcomb Summit.

Florida is located near the highest points of the Hoosac Range, which runs through the western part of town. There are several rivers and brooks, most of which lead to the Deerfield River, which forms much of the eastern border and flows to the Connecticut River. The town includes parts of three state forests - Monroe State Forest in the northeast, Savoy Mountain State Forest in the south, and Mohawk Trail State Forest in the southeast. The highest elevation in the town is 2830 ft above sea level, on an unnamed hill northwest of Crum Hill in the neighboring town of Monroe.

Massachusetts Route 2, the Mohawk Trail, runs from the southeast of town northwest across the center of town, passing over Whitcomb Summit, the highest point along the trail. At Whitcomb Summit there is a monument to the Elks Club, whose members helped modernize the trails and worked on the Hoosac Tunnel. Whitcomb Summit is known for sensational views of the surrounding valleys. Just west of the town line is the West Summit, which has views of the Hoosic River valley and the Taconic Range further west. There are no other state routes through town, and the nearest interstate highway is Interstate 91 to the east.

The 4.75 mi Hoosac Tunnel carries the railway under the town, and as such has no stops in town. The nearest regional bus service can be found in North Adams, as can the nearest regional airport, Harriman-and-West Airport. The nearest airport with national flights is Albany International Airport.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 676 people, 265 households, and 196 families residing in the town. Florida's population ranks 27th out of the 32 towns in Berkshire County, and 337th out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 27.7 PD/sqmi, making it the 24th most densely populated town in the county, and 333rd in the Commonwealth. There were 294 housing units at an average density of 12.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.49% White, 0.59% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.

There were 265 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,000, and the median income for a family was $52,500. Males had a median income of $32,000 versus $23,906 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,979. About 3.3% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Florida is governed by an open town meeting form of government, which is led by a board of selectmen and a town secretary. The town has its own services, including fire and public works, as well as the Florida Free Library, a small library with association to the regional library services. The nearest hospital was North Adams Regional Hospital until its bankruptcy in March 2014. Since May 2014, Berkshire Medical Center has operated an emergency room and other health services at the old NARH location.

On the state level, Florida is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by the First Berkshire district, which covers northern Berkshire County, as well as portions of Franklin 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's police services are provided by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Troop B of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, Florida 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
Florida has one school, the Gabriel Abbott Memorial School, which serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The school also serves the students of neighboring Monroe. The town sends its high school students to either Drury High School or Charles H. McCann Technical High School, both of which are in North Adams.

The nearest community college is Berkshire Community College, located in Pittsfield. The nearest public college is the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in neighboring North Adams, and the nearest university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The nearest private college is Williams College in Williamstown.

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

title: Florida, Massachusetts


text:
Hancock, Massachusetts

Hancock is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 757 at the 2020 census.

History
Hancock was first settled in 1762 as the Plantation of Jericho. The town was officially incorporated in 1776, and renamed for John Hancock.

Hancock is one of only three towns in Massachusetts whose local telephone service was not provided by the former Bell System (instead it is part of the Taconic Telephone Corporation, every one of whose other exchanges is situated in neighboring New York). The other two such towns are Richmond, also in Berkshire County, and Granby, in Hampshire County.

Hancock Shaker Village
Around 1780, some families in Hancock converted to the teachings of the Shakers. By 1790, Believers in Hancock and Pittsfield established Hancock Shaker Village. The Shakers were a religious order which believed in pacifism, celibacy and communal living. Worship could take the form of singing and ecstatic dance, which is why they were called the "Shaking Quakers", or "Shakers." The utopian sect is renowned today for its plain architecture and furniture. Hancock Shaker Village is famous for its Round Stone Barn, built in 1826. In 1959, the remaining Shakers in Hancock sold the property to a non-profit museum.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 92.6 km2, of which 92.4 km2 is land and 0.2 km2, or 0.19%, is water.

Hancock is bordered on the north by Williamstown, on the northeast by New Ashford, on the east by Lanesborough and Pittsfield, on the south by Richmond, and on the west by Canaan, New Lebanon, Stephentown and Berlin, New York.

Most of northern Hancock occupies a valley bound by the Taconic Mountains on each side. The northern half of the valley is drained by the west branch of the Green River, a tributary of the Hoosic River, and the southern half of the valley is drained by the headwaters of Kinderhook Creek, which flows southwest into New York and the Hudson River. To the west, along the New York border, stands the western escarpment of the Taconic Mountains including Misery Mountain and Rounds Mountain, while the northeastern town line is bordered by the eastern Taconic escarpment peaks of Brodie Mountain, Sheeps Heaven Mountain, and Jiminy Peak (home to a ski area of the same name). Southern Hancock, where the Shaker Village is located, is dominated by the Taconic peaks of Pittsfield State Forest, including Tower Mountain, Smith Mountain, Berry Hill, Honwee Mountain, Doll Mountain, and Shaker Mountain. Berry Pond, the highest water body in Massachusetts at over 630 m above sea level, sits near the summit of Berry Hill. The highest point in Hancock is a summit of Misery Mountain that reaches 814 m above sea level.

U.S. Route 20 passes through the southern end of town, from Pittsfield to the New York state line. Massachusetts Route 43 also passes through town, from the northern border with Williamstown, and is the main route through town, turning along Kinderhook Creek and into New York. There are no roads within the town that connect the two roads, however.

There is no rail, bus or air service within the town. The nearest services are in Pittsfield to the south, and Williamstown and North Adams to the north. The nearest airport with nationally connecting flights is Albany International Airport, approximately 40 mi northwest of town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 721 people, 296 households, and 209 families residing in the town. Hancock ranks 25th out of the 32 towns in Berkshire County by population, and 335th out of the 351 in Massachusetts. The population density was 20.2 /mi2, making it the least densely populated town in Berkshire County, and thirteenth-least in the Commonwealth. There were 472 housing units at an average density of 13.2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 97.36% White, 0.28% African American, 0.55% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.

There were 296 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,347, and the median income for a family was $50,625. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,250. About 6.1% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Hancock is governed by the open town meeting form of government, and is governed by a board of selectmen. The town has its own volunteer fire department. The town has its own library, Taylor Memorial Library, and other public services.

On the state level, Hancock is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as part of the First Berkshire District, which covers northern and central Berkshire County and has been represented by Gailanne M. Cariddi since January 2013. Prior to the 2010 Massachusetts redistricting of the House and Senate Hancock was in the Second Berkshire District. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is represented as part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties, and has been represented by Ben Downing since 2007. The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Troop "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, Hancock 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 2013. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey.

Education
The town has a single school, Hancock Elementary School, which serves students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Upper grades students attend Mount Greylock Regional High School in Williamstown. The nearest private schools are in Williamstown and Pittsfield.

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

title: Hancock, Massachusetts


text:
Hinsdale, Massachusetts

Hinsdale is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The population was 1,919 at the 2020 census.

History
Originally part of Northern Berkshire Township Number 2 and including all of Peru and parts of Middlefield and Dalton, the town was first settled in 1763 and officially incorporated as "Partridgefield" in 1771. Named for Oliver Partridge, one of the three purchasers of the town (along with Governor Francis Bernard), the Western Parish officially broke away from its eastern half and incorporated in 1804, renaming itself for the family of Rev. Theodore Hinsdale, who also owned an important woolen mill. The mill was the center of economic activity in town until the Great Depression, when it closed.

Hinsdale, along with neighboring Dalton, is home to two historic long-distance routes: the Appalachian Trail (a National Scenic Trail) and the Boston and Albany Railroad, on which operates the Lake Shore Limited passenger rail service that has run continuously from Boston to Chicago since 1897. The Hinsdale train depot located in the town center was closed in 1954, and the actual intersection of the two corridors lies at the also decommissioned train depot just north in Dalton.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 56.2 km2, of which 53.7 km2 is land and 2.5 km2, or 4.45%, is water. Hinsdale is located in central Berkshire County, and is bordered by Windsor to the north, Peru to the east, Washington to the south, and Dalton to the west. Hinsdale is 9 mi east of Pittsfield, 42 mi northwest of Springfield, and 120 mi west of Boston.

Hinsdale is located in the Berkshire Hills, with most of its population located in a valley along the East Branch of the Housatonic River, whose origin is just south of the town line. Much of the land around the river south of the town center is part of the Hinsdale Flats Wildlife Management Reserve, and is generally a swampy area. There are four reservoirs within the town (Belmont, Plunkett, Cleveland Brook and a portion of the Windsor Reservoir), as well as part of Muddy Pond in the south and most of Lake Ashmere along the Peru town line. The town, which contains the peak of Tully Mountain along the western border, is traversed by a portion of the Appalachian Trail, which crosses the mountain. The town also has several summer camps and a country club.

Massachusetts Route 8 crosses the town from the south to the Dalton border in the northwest. Route 143 begins at Route 8 at the center of town. The town lies along a CSX Transportation rail line (former New York Central), which brings Amtrak and freight service to Pittsfield. The town lies at the eastern terminus of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority bus line. Regional bus service can be found in Pittsfield, which is also home to the nearest regional air service (at Pittsfield Municipal Airport). The nearest airport with national flights is Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 1919 people, 798 households, and 1,126 housing units in the town.

As of the census of 2000, By population, the town ranks 13th of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 292nd of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 89.8 PD/sqmi, which ranks 13th and 290th in the county and Commonwealth, respectively. There were 970 housing units at an average density of 46.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.81% White, 0.53% African American, 0.27% Asian, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.32% of the population.

There were 739 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. Of all households, 25.7% were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $51,118. Males had a median income of $38,333 versus $24,420 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,797. About 6.4% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

City-stats.org data for Town of Hinsdale, Massachusetts reports 66.5% of the population are registered Democrats, 30.57% Republicans, and 2.9% independents.

Government
Hinsdale 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. Hinsdale shares its post office (and its ZIP Code of 01235) with neighboring Peru. The nearest hospital, the Berkshire Medical Center, is located in Pittsfield.

On the state level, Hinsdale is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as part of the Second Berkshire district, which covers central Berkshire County, as well as portions of Hampshire and Franklin counties, and is represented by Democrat Paul Mark. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties, and is represented by Democrat Benjamin Downing. Hinsdale has its own police department, which patrols the town, and Hinsdale is also patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police. Newly elected Selectman Bartholomew J. Collins represents the town on the campaign of “Small towns working together make strong towns”. Republican Governor Charlie Baker has an approval rating of 62% as of September, 2016.

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

Education
Hinsdale is one of the seven towns in the Central Berkshire Regional School District, the largest district (by land area) in the Commonwealth. Students in Hinsdale attend the Kittredge Elementary School in the town for elementary school, along with students from Peru. 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 Hinsdale, with the nearest being in the Pittsfield area.

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.

Points of interest

 * Bas Ridge Golf Course
 * Berkshire Lake Camp
 * Camp Danbee
 * Camp Emerson
 * Camp Romaca
 * Camp Taconic
 * Hinsdale Public Library
 * Hinsdale Town Hall
 * Israel Bissell Homestead and Grave
 * Lake Ashmere
 * Plunkett Lake

Notable people

 * Israel Bissell, was a patriot post rider in Massachusetts who, along with Paul Revere, brought news to American colonists of the British attack at the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, and subsequently was the beginning of the American Revolution. Bissell lived and died on October 24, 1823, in Hinsdale and was buried in the Maple Street Cemetery in Hinsdale
 * Anne Froelick, screenwriter
 * Daniel Webster Gill, Mayor of Cheyenne and member of the Wyoming Senate
 * Augustus P. Hascall, congressman from New York
 * Henry Howard, banker, businessman, mayor of Detroit, and first treasurer of Michigan
 * Francis E. Warren, first governor of Wyoming
 * Merrick Wing, Wisconsin state senator
 * Ashley B. Wright, congressman from Massachusetts

title: Hinsdale, Massachusetts


text:
Housatonic, Massachusetts

Housatonic is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Great Barrington in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,109 at the 2010 census. It was named after the Housatonic River.

History
The village formed in the early 1800s around textile and paper mills. At its peak, Monument Mills, a textile manufacturer, occupied five factory buildings totaling 420000 ft2 and had 500 employees. Mill workers, many of whom were immigrants, were housed in tenements.

Monument Mills closed in 1956. After undergoing a period of decline, the village has been revitalized by the presence of art galleries and related commercial activity. The town's Ramsdell Public Library is located in Housatonic. Monument Mills and Rising Paper Mill are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Housatonic is located along the northern edge of the town of Great Barrington at 42.25222°N, -73.3675°W (42.252122, -73.367537). It is bordered to the north by the towns of Stockbridge and West Stockbridge. The Housatonic River runs through the center of the community. Massachusetts Route 183 enters the CDP from the south as Park Street following the east bank of the river, then crosses the river at the center of town and continues north on the west bank as Front Street.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.5 sqkm, of which 2.3 sqkm is land, and 0.2 sqkm (8.84%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,335 people, 543 households, and 356 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 592.5 /km2. There were 582 housing units at an average density of 258.3 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.48% White, 1.27% African American, 0.37% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.

There were 543 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $35,625, and the median income for a family was $35,324. Males had a median income of $38,462 versus $24,917 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,636. About 9.9% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Housatonic, Massachusetts


text:
Lanesborough, Massachusetts

Lanesborough is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,038 at the 2020 census.

History
One of the first Berkshire communities to be settled, Lanesborough was originally known as "New Framingham", carved from part of Northern Berkshire Township #6. Lanesborough was first settled in 1753 and was officially incorporated on January 21, 1765. It was renamed Lanesborough, for the Countess of Lanesborough, a friend of Governor Francis Bernard, who incorporated the town. The town grew with small industry in the early 19th century, most of which settled along Town Brook. Berkshire Pleasure Park was a major attraction at the turn of the 20th century. It was one of the trolley parks along what is now Route 8 on the eastern side of town.

Today the town includes many small businesses, but has little industry of its own. More people from Lanesborough are employed in nearby communities.

The town's most famous resident was Josh Billings, born Henry Wheeler Shaw. He was a popular humorist in the nineteenth century, rivaling Mark Twain for popularity at the time. Historic sites include the Old Stone School, an unusual stone one-room schoolhouse, built in 1832 from funds donated by Ephraim Bradley and which operated as a school until 1950. The building is currently used as a photography gallery and guesthouse.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 76.6 km2, of which 74.7 km2 is land and 1.9 km2, or 2.49%, is water.

Lanesborough is bordered by New Ashford to the north, Cheshire to the northeast, Dalton to the east, Pittsfield to the south, and Hancock to the west. The town center is 5 mi north of Pittsfield, 50 mi northwest of Springfield and 140 mi west of Boston.

Lanesborough is situated in two valleys, with Town Brook running south through the central valley into Pontoosuc Lake, and the Cheshire Reservoir, the headwaters of the Hoosic River, running north through the town's smaller, eastern valley. To the north, the beginning of Mount Greylock is located in the town, with the auto road and visitors' center beginning there as well. Rockwell Road, which leads to the Visitors' Center, ascends from Lanesborough through Cheshire to the summit in Adams. Sperry Road, which branches off Rockwell, leads to a campground and picnic area. Pittsfield State Forest also has a large section within town, with Balance Rock being its main attraction. To the west, Jiminy Peak and Sheeps Heaven Mountain, the southern portion of Brodie Mountain, form much of the western border. While much of Jiminy Peak is located in the town of Hancock, recent aerial mapping determined that the summit is indeed in Lanesborough. The ski area's Hendricks Summit Lodge (named after Lanesborough residents Bart and Mary Hendricks) is located within the town. Brodie Mountain Road, which passes between these two mountains, is one of the few roads which lead into neighboring Hancock from the east. The very large Massachusetts Champion Elm stands on Summer Street, visible from Route 7. Lanesborough hosts the southern access to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, a bike path converted from a railway path.

U.S. Route 7 is the main route through town, passing from Pittsfield north towards Williamstown and Vermont. This road was once New England Interstate Route 4, which connected Norwalk, Connecticut, with the Canada–US border. To the east, Massachusetts Route 8, which was also a New England Interstate Route, passes through the village of Berkshire towards North Adams. Route 8 lies along a route of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority bus line. Regional bus and air service can both be found in Pittsfield, with the nearest airport with national flights being Albany International Airport.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,990 people, 1,203 households, and 839 families residing in the town. By population, Lanesborough ranks eleventh out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 273rd out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 103.0 PD/sqmi, ranking it 11th and 279th in the county and Commonwealth, respectively. There were 1,382 housing units at an average density of 47.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.36% White, 0.70% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.

There were 1,203 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. Of all households, 23.9% were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,496, and the median income for a family was $51,887. Males had a median income of $37,672 versus $24,583 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,106. About 3.7% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Lanesborough employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. The town operates its own police, fire and public works departments. The town library, located in the annex of the town hall, is connected to the regional library networks.

On the state level, Lanesborough is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as part of the First Berkshire District, which covers north Berkshire County and is represented by John Barrett. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties, represented by Adam Hinds. On the national level, Lanesborough is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Richard Neal as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district.

Education
Lanesborough, along with Hancock, New Ashford, and Williamstown form the Mount Greylock Regional School District, which includes a middle school and a high school. The town operates Pontoosuc Regional Elementary School for students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade along with New Ashford, with the upper grades attending Mount Greylock Regional High School in Williamstown. Additionally, there are private, parochial, charter and vocation schools in the nearby towns.

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

Notable people

 * Josh Billings, humorist, was born here
 * Henry Shaw Briggs, brigadier general during the American Civil War, born here
 * Bette Davis, actress, attended the Crestalban School on Summer Street for three years
 * Ethan Zuckerman, writer and internet scholar

Sister city

 * Lanesborough, County Longford, Ireland

title: Lanesborough, Massachusetts


text:
Monterey, Massachusetts

Monterey is a small town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,095 at the 2020 census.

History
Prior to settlement by European-American colonists, the area of Monterey was inhabited by Mahicans, the local Native American tribe. Monterey was first settled by colonists in 1739 as a part of Housatonic Township Number One. The township had two villages, along Hop Brook to the north (modern Tyringham) and Konkapot River in the south (modern Monterey). The town was officially incorporated as Tyringham in 1767. In the earliest days of 1776, General Henry Knox passed through the town, bringing cannons from Fort Ticonderoga in New York to aid in ending the Siege of Boston. Today, the path he took is known as the Henry Knox Trail. However, the long divide between the two towns led to their separation in 1847. Previously called Green Woods or South Tyringham, the local people voted to name the new town Monterey to commemorate the Battle of Monterey that took place a year earlier in the Mexican–American War. Palo Alto and Buena Vista were also considered, but thought to be "too foreign sounding". The town was mostly known for its sawmills, but today it is a rural community, known more for its recreational areas in the state forests and along Lake Garfield.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 71.0 km2, of which 68.5 km2 is land and 2.5 km2, or 3.53%, is water. Monterey is bordered by Tyringham to the north, Otis to the east, Sandisfield to the southeast, New Marlborough to the south, and Great Barrington to the west. Monterey lies 21 mi south-southeast of Pittsfield, 37 mi west of Springfield, and 124 mi west of Boston.

Monterey lies in the southern end of the Berkshires, at the headwaters of the Konkapot River. The river rises from Lake Garfield, which is surrounded by several hills, and Lake Buel, which lies along the New Marlborough town line. Much of the northwest corner of town is dominated by Mount Wilcox and the lower portion of Beartown State Forest. The state forest is crossed by the Appalachian Trail, which crosses from Great Barrington, below the peak of the mountain, and on to Sky Hill in Tyringham.

Monterey lies along Massachusetts Route 23, the main east-west route through town. Near the Great Barrington line, Route 57 begins and heads eastward, passing Lake Buel before heading into New Marlborough. Route 57 also carries Route 183, which is combined with Route 23 west of the junction, southward towards Connecticut. There are also several non-state highways which connect the town to its other neighbors. Most of the population is centered around Route 23, especially near Lake Garfield.

The nearest interstate, Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike), passes through neighboring Otis, and its nearest exit is at U.S. Route 20 in Lee. The nearest regional rail and bus service is at Great Barrington, which is at the end of a weekend service line to New York City via the MTA rail line (note: this refers to a discontinued connecting bus service to GB from the MTA's Wassaic, NY station). Amtrak service can also be found in Pittsfield, along the east-west Lake Shore Limited. There is a small regional airport in Great Barrington, The Walter J Koladza Airport, but it is limited to private flights and scenic tours. The nearest national air service at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 934 people, 387 households, and 239 families residing in the town. By population, the town ranks 21st out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 325th out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 35.2 PD/sqmi, which ranks it 20th in the county and 325th in the Commonwealth. There were 830 housing units at an average density of 31.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.90% White, 0.54% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.

There were 387 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $49,750, and the median income for a family was $59,643. Males had a median income of $37,692 versus $22,656 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,992. About 3.4% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Monterey employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. The town hall, police and fire departments are located in the central village, as is the town post office. The town's public library is a WiFi hot spot, and is a member of the regional library system. The nearest hospital, Fairview Hospital, is in neighboring Great Barrington.

On the state level, Monterey 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 Monterey Police Department.

The Monterey Fire Department is a paid by call fire department that consists of approximately 25 members and one ladder truck, one engine/tanker, two rescues, one brush truck, and a rescue boat. The department responds to all emergency calls in the town, including fire and medical emergencies. The department also will provide mutual aid to surrounding towns when requested. The town firefighters train weekly and are all certified to the First Responder level. The department responds to approximately 150–200 calls per year.

On the national level, Monterey 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 the redistricting in 2013. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey.

Education
Monterey is part of the Mount Everett Regional School District along with Alford, Egremont, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, and Sheffield. Students in Monterey attend the Monterey School for kindergarten and first grades, with second through sixth grades attending the Undermountain Elementary School in Sheffield, and Mount Everett Regional High School in Sheffield for grades 7–12. There are private schools in Great Barrington and other nearby towns.

The nearest community college is the South County Center of Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington. The nearest state college is Westfield State University, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock.

Notable people

 * Karen Allen, actress
 * Edwin N. Chapin (1823–1896), postmaster and newspaper publisher

Sites of interest

 * Bidwell House Museum

title: Monterey, Massachusetts


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Mount Washington, Massachusetts

Mount Washington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 160 at the 2020 census, making it the least populous town in Berkshire County and, after Gosnold and Monroe, the third least populous in Massachusetts. The name of the town is a tribute to George Washington, who at the time of incorporation was Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

History
Mount Washington was first settled by Europeans in 1692 and was officially incorporated in 1779.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 57.9 sqkm, of which 57.5 sqkm is land and 0.4 sqkm, or 0.67%, is water.

Mount Washington is the westernmost and southwesternmost town in Massachusetts. The district of Boston Corner, to the southwest of Mount Washington, was formerly the southwesternmost location in Massachusetts, but it was ceded to New York in 1855 due to its geographical inaccessibility from the rest of Massachusetts.

The town is bordered on the west by Columbia County, New York, on a half-mile portion of its southern border by Dutchess County, New York, and on the rest of the southern border by Litchfield County, Connecticut. It is bordered on the north by Egremont, on the east by Sheffield, on the south by Salisbury, Connecticut, on the southwest by the Whitehouse Crossing section of North East, New York, and on the west by Ancram and Copake, New York. Mount Washington is 33 mi south-southwest of Pittsfield, 58 mi west of Springfield, and 148 mi west-southwest of Boston.

Mount Washington is located on a plateau in the Taconic Mountains. To the east, Mount Everett, the highest point in town and the highest point in the southern Taconic Mountains, rises 2602 ft near the town's eastern border. To the north, several mountains and hills lie along the Egremont town line. Alander Mountain and the western escarpment of the southern Taconic Mountains lie along the western border of Mount Washington at the Columbia County, New York line. To the south, along the Connecticut border, stands another series of peaks including Mount Frissell. Although the summit of this mountain rests within the town of Mount Washington, its southern slope is located in Connecticut and is that state's highest elevation. Many brooks lie within the town, most of which feed into Roeliff Jansen Kill in Copake, New York. Mount Washington State Forest makes up a large portion of the town, as does Mount Everett State Reservation. The town is also home to Bash Bish Falls State Park, which is centered around its eponymous falls. The Appalachian Trail enters Massachusetts in Mount Washington, coming from Bear Mountain, then turning east before following near the eastern town border, over Mount Race and Mount Everett, before heading into Egremont.

Mount Washington is remote, with only four roads that lead out of the town, and only one, East Street, connected to the rest of Massachusetts via Egremont. There are no state roads within the town, with only New York State Route 344 entering the town, primarily as access to Bash Bish Falls from Route 22. The nearest state route in Massachusetts accessible to the town is Route 23 in Egremont. The nearest interstate, Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike), is several miles north of the town, with the nearest exit, the "turn-around" exit 1, being in West Stockbridge. The nearest rail, bus and small airplane service are in Great Barrington, and the nearest national air service is at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 130 people, 64 households, and 36 families residing in the town. The town is the smallest town of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and the third-smallest of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts (only Monroe and Gosnold are smaller). The population density was 5.8 people per square mile (2.3/km$2$), the most sparsely populated town in the county and Commonwealth. There were 128 housing units at an average density of 5.8 per square mile (2.2/km$2$). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White.

There were 64 households, out of which 15.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.70.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 16.9% under the age of 18, 2.3% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 43.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $53,125, and the median income for a family was $55,750. Males had a median income of $40,417 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $50,149. the highest in Berkshire County and the highest of any town in the four counties that make up Western Massachusetts. There were 4.5% of families and 8.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Government
Mount Washington employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen and administrative assistant. The town has no post office (it is served by the Egremont post office). The town has a small library which is connected to the regional library system.

On the state level, Mount Washington 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 Troop B (B-1 Lee) of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, Mount Washington 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.

Education
Mount Washington has its own non-operating school district although its children are educated in the Mount Everett Regional School District consisting of Alford, Egremont, Monterey, New Marlborough, and Sheffield. Students in Alford, Egremont and Mount Washington attend the Appalachian School for kindergarten and first grades, with second through sixth grades attending the Undermountain Elementary School in Sheffield, and Mount Everett Regional High School in Sheffield for grades 7–12. Additionally, there are private schools in Sheffield, Great Barrington and Salisbury, Connecticut.

The nearest community college is the South County Center of Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington. The nearest state college is Westfield State University. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington.

Notable events
An ongoing tradition taking place in Mount Washington for more than eighty-five years is its annual Church Fair. On the first Saturday in August, the townspeople of Mount Washington have come together for decades to work as a community to raise money for charity.

title: Mount Washington, Massachusetts


text:
New Ashford, Massachusetts

New Ashford is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 250 at the 2020 census.

History
New Ashford was first settled in 1762 and was officially incorporated on November 4, 1835. It was named for Ashford, Connecticut, where the founding citizens came from. The town has mostly been a rural farming community, with few mills ever set up in the town. Beginning in 1916, and for a few years after that, New Ashford had the distinction of casting the first vote in United States Presidential Elections (as Dixville Notch, New Hampshire does today). Following the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment the New Ashford poll was where Ms. Phoebe Jordan became the first woman to vote in a national election on November 2, 1920. The old wooden ballot box used on this historic occasion still sits in town hall, and is still in use today.

The town is home to the former Brodie Mountain ski area, a once popular ski resort, begun in 1939 on the Gregory Marakoff (Makaroff) farm.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.9 km2, of which 0.04 sqkm, or 0.10%, is water. It is the third-smallest town in Berkshire County by land area.

New Ashford is bordered by Williamstown to the north, Adams to the east, Cheshire to the southeast, Lanesborough to the south, and Hancock to the west. New Ashford is 11 mi north of Pittsfield, 57 mi northwest of Springfield, and 140 mi west-northwest of Boston (although, like much of the Berkshires, it is closer to both Hartford and Albany than its own state capital).

New Ashford sits in a small natural valley within the Taconic Mountains (popularly grouped with the Berkshires). To the east, Mount Greylock State Reservation rises, with the mountain itself peaking just northeast of the town. The peak of Saddle Ball Mountain, a part of the range, lies within the eastern part of town and is the highest point in town, reaching 3220 ft above sea level. The Mount Greylock Scenic Drive crosses through the eastern part of town, on its way to the peak, as does the Appalachian Trail. To the west, Brodie Mountain runs along the western border of town, peaking in neighboring Hancock.

U.S. Route 7 passes through the center of town, and is the main road. No state routes pass through town. There is no rail service; the nearest rail (Amtrak and CSX) service is in Pittsfield. Bus and paratransit service is provided by Berkshire Regional Transit Authority. The town is located between two local airports, Harriman and West Airport in North Adams and Pittsfield Municipal Airport. The nearest airport with national service is Albany International Airport.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 247 people, 94 households, and 72 families residing in the town. New Ashford is the second least-populated town in Berkshire County, and fourth-smallest town in Massachusetts (ahead of Mount Washington, Monroe and Gosnold). The population density was 18.2 people per square mile (7.0/km$2$), making it fourth-smallest in the county and ninth-smallest in the Commonwealth by population density. There were 110 housing units at an average density of 8.1 per square mile (3.1/km$2$). The racial makeup of the town was 95.55% White, 0.81% African American, 3.24% Asian, and 0.40% from two or more races.

There were 94 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,250, and the median income for a family was $58,125. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $41,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,323. None of the families and 2.2% of the population were living below the poverty line.

Government
The town uses the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. The town has its own fire and public works services. Police services are provided by the Massachusetts State Police. The town has no public library.

On the state level, New Ashford is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as part of the First Berkshire District, represented by Gailanne M. Cariddi since January 2013. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, represented by Adam Hinds, 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, New Ashford 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 Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.

The town provided Libertarian Gary Johnson with his largest percentage of the vote statewide in the 2016 presidential election. Out of 160 total votes cast in the town, Johnson received 14 (8.75 percent, more than double of his statewide percentage of 4.15). Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton won the town with 101 votes (63.13 percent) over Republican Donald J. Trump, who received 39 votes (24.38 percent). Green Party nominee Jill Stein received six votes (3.75 percent).

Education
Students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade attend Pontoosuc Regional Elementary School along with Lanesborough, and students from seventh through twelfth grades attend Mount Greylock Regional School in Williamstown. Private schools are located in Williamstown, and vocational and parochial schools are located in Pittsfield and North Adams.

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. The nearest private college is Williams College in neighboring Williamstown.

title: New Ashford, Massachusetts


text:
New Marlborough, Massachusetts

New Marlborough is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,528 at the 2020 census. New Marlborough consists of five villages: Clayton, Hartsville, Mill River, New Marlborough Village and Southfield.

History
New Marlborough was established as one of the four townships opened along the road between Sheffield and Westfield. The land was purchased from the local Native Americans (a band of Mohican Indians) by 72 proprietors from Marlborough, Massachusetts and vicinity, and the deed to the land was certified by the General Court in Boston in 1736. Most of the land was divided into 60-acre parcels for settlement, which started in 1739 and proceeded quickly during the 1740s. The town was officially incorporated in 1775, and named after the home town of the original proprietors. The town grew as a combination of agriculture in the area around the town center, and mills along the rivers in town. Today it is mostly rural, with little to no industry.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 124.1 km2, of which 121.4 km2 is land and 2.6 km2, or 2.12%, is water. New Marlborough is bordered on the north by Monterey, on the east by Sandisfield, on the south by Norfolk and North Canaan, Connecticut, on the west by Sheffield, and on the northwest by Great Barrington. New Marlborough is located 26 mi south of Pittsfield, 42 mi west of Springfield and 128 mi west-southwest of Boston.

New Marlborough is located in the lower Berkshires, dotted by several peaks. Several rivers, including the Konkapot River, Umpachene River, and Whiting River, flow through the town, all of which feed into the Housatonic River. There are also several swamps and ponds, including Lake Buel on the Monterey line, and the Thousand Acre Swamp in the southeast corner. The swamp lies along the border of Campbells Falls State Park, named for the falls along the Whiting River. Parts of Sandisfield State Forest also lie in the town.

The town lies along Massachusetts Route 183, which passes from Lenox and Great Barrington towards Sandisfield and the Connecticut border. For the northern half of the route, Route 183 is combined with Route 57, which splits near the geographic center of town to head east towards Sandisfield and its eventual terminus in Agawam.

The nearest interstate, Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) passes several miles north of the town, with the nearest exit, Exit 2 in Lee, being 15 mi away. The nearest bus service is in Great Barrington, and the nearest rail service (along the Lake Shore Line of Amtrak) is in Pittsfield. The nearest small airport is in Great Barrington, with the nearest national air service being at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,494 people, 582 households, and 403 families residing in the town. By population, the town ranks 17th out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 307th out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 31.7 PD/sqmi, which ranks 23rd in the county and 329th in the Commonwealth. There were 963 housing units at an average density of 20.4 per square mile (7.9/km$2$). The racial makeup of the town was 97.52% White, 1.67% African American, 0.13% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.

There were 582 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,875, and the median income for a family was $56,944. Males had a median income of $34,205 versus $25,972 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,658. About 3.7% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

Climate
In a typical year, New Marlborough, Massachusetts temperatures fall below 50 F for 205 days per year. Annual precipitation is typically 46.9 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% of the year.

Government
New Marlborough employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen and an executive assistant. The town has its own police, fire and public works departments. The town library, located in Mill River, is connected to the regional library network, and the town has two post offices, in Mill River and Southfield. The nearest hospital, Fairview Hospital, is in neighboring Great Barrington.

On the state level, New Marlborough 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, New Marlborough 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; it was previously represented by John Olver of Amherst between 1991 and 2013. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.

Education
New Marlborough is part of the Mount Everett Regional School District along with Alford, Egremont, Monterey, Mount Washington, and Sheffield. Students in New Marlborough attend the New Marlborough Central School for kindergarten and first grades, with second through sixth grades attending the Undermountain Elementary School in Sheffield, and Mount Everett Regional High School in Sheffield for grades 7–12. Additionally, there are private schools in Sheffield, Great Barrington and Salisbury, Connecticut. There are private schools in Great Barrington and other nearby towns.

The nearest community college is the South County Center of Berkshire Community College in Great Barrington. The nearest state college is Westfield State University. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington.

title: New Marlborough, Massachusetts


text:
North Adams, Massachusetts

North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its population was 12,961 as of the 2020 census. Best known as the home of the largest contemporary art museum in the United States, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams has in recent years become a center for tourism, culture and recreation.

Early history

North Adams was first settled in 1745 during King George's War, when the most western of a line of defensive forts was built along the bank of the Hoosic River, and occupied by Massachusetts militiamen and their families. During the war, Canadian and Native American forces laid siege to Fort Massachusetts 30 prisoners were taken to Quebec; half died in captivity. In 1747 Fort Massachusetts was rebuilt with improved defenses, but was never attacked again. In a period of peace following the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, many of the soldiers who had been garrisoned at the fort turned to farming instead by opting to each take a 190-acre package of nearby land in lieu of back-pay in the nearby township of West Hoosac (now known as Williamstown).

The North Adams Women's Club began raising funds in 1895 to reconstruct the fort as a memorial site. It was dedicated in 1933 and operated as a historical tourist site until the 1960s. The 1933 Fort's replica chimney is located at the rear of the Central Markets Supermarket that opened at the site in 1960 and closed in 2016 as a Price Chopper Supermarket. The historic site was conveyed to the City of North Adams by the Golub family in 2017.

The town was incorporated separately from Adams in 1878, and reincorporated as a city in 1895. The city is named in honor of Samuel Adams, a leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and governor of Massachusetts.

For much of its history, North Adams was a mill town. Manufacturing began in the city before the Revolutionary War, largely because the confluence of the Hoosic River's two branches provided water power for small-scale industry. By the late 1700s and early 1800s, businesses included wholesale shoe manufacturers; a brick yard; a saw mill; cabinet-makers; hat manufacturers; machine shops for the construction of mill machines; marble works; wagon and sleigh-makers; and an ironworks, which provided the pig iron for armor plates on the Civil War ship, the Monitor.

Expansion westwards started with the creation of three mill villages, Blackinton in 1821, Greylock in 1846 and Braytonville in 1832, located to take advantage of the Hoosac River's water power. The 1850 census marked the official shift of the town from agriculture to industry, since more factory workers than farmers now resided in the town. In 1870 the use of Chinese strikebreakers from California to break the North Adams strike at the Sampson Shoe Factory (today part of the Mass MoCA complex) was an important step in the movement of Chinese from the west coast to the east coast, resulting in east coast Chinatowns in the United States. On a national scale, the North Adams strike became known as the primary trigger to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act by the U.S. Congress in 1882.

North Adams was also the headquarters for building the Hoosac Tunnel starting in 1851 and completed in 1874, adding an east–west connection to Boston and Albany to the existing 1842 rail connection to New York. Prior to that time, inter-regional travel was limited to weekly stagecoaches from Albany and Greenfield.

Downtown in 1860, Oliver Arnold and Company was established with the latest equipment for printing cloth. Large government contracts to supply fabric for the Union Army helped the business prosper. During the next four decades, Arnold Print Works became one of the world's leading manufacturers of printed textiles. It also became the largest employer in North Adams, with some 3,200 workers by 1905. Despite decades of success, falling cloth prices and the lingering effects of the Great Depression forced the company to close its Marshall Street operation in 1942 and consolidate at smaller facilities in Adams.

Sprague Electric
Later that year, the Sprague Electric Company bought the former print works site. Sprague physicists, chemists, electrical engineers, and skilled technicians were called upon by the U.S. government during World War II to design and manufacture crucial components of advanced weapons systems, including the atomic bomb.

With state-of-the-art equipment, Sprague was a major research and development center, conducting studies on electricity and semi-conducting materials. After the war, its products were used in the launch systems for NASA's Gemini missions, and by 1966 Sprague employed 4,137 workers in a community of 18,000. From the post-war years to the mid-1980s, Sprague produced electrical components for the booming consumer electronics market, but competition from abroad led to declining sales and, in 1985, the company closed operations on Marshall Street. Its closure devastated the local economy. Unemployment rates rose and population declined.

MASS MoCA

After Sprague closed, business and political leaders in North Adams sought ways to re-use the vast complex. Williams College Museum of Art director Thomas Krens, who would later become Director of the Guggenheim, was looking for space to exhibit large works of contemporary art that would not fit in conventional museum galleries. When mayor John Barrett III (serving 1984–2009) suggested the vast Marshall Street complex as a possible exhibition site, the idea of creating a contemporary arts center in North Adams began to take shape.

The campaign to build support for the proposed institution, which would serve as a platform for presenting contemporary art and developing links to the region's other cultural institutions, began in earnest. The Massachusetts legislature announced its support for the project in 1988. Subsequent economic upheaval threatened the project, but broad-based support from the community and the private sector, which pledged more than $8 million, ensured that it moved forward. The eventual proposal used the scale and versatility of the industrial spaces to link the facility's past and its new life as the country's largest center for contemporary visual and performing arts.

Since it opened, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) has been part of a larger economic transformation in the region based on cultural, recreational, and educational offerings. North Adams has become home for several new restaurants, contemporary art galleries, and cultural organizations. In addition, once-shuttered area factories and mills have been rehabilitated as lofts for artists to live and work in.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, North Adams has a total area of 53.4 km2, of which 52.7 km2 is land and 0.7 km2, or 1.31%, is water. North Adams is bordered by Clarksburg to the north, Florida to the east, Adams to the south, and Williamstown to the west.

North Adams is located in the valley created by the Hoosic River, which has been walled and floored with concrete in portions to prevent floods. The city's Natural Bridge State Park contains the only natural white marble bridge in North America. Formed by glacial melt by 11,000 BCE, the arch and abandoned quarry have long attracted attention from hikers, including Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1838, who wrote of it (among other local features) in his An American Notebook. To the east, the city is bordered by the western face of the Hoosac Range, with visibility on its West Summit extending throughout the tri-state area. To the southwest, the city has the northern end of Mount Greylock State Reservation, ending at Mount Williams, which at 2951 ft above sea level is the highest point in the city. The Appalachian Trail passes through the western part of the city, crossing the summit of Mount Williams and briefly passing through Williamstown before heading north towards Vermont.

Climate
North Adams has a humid continental climate (Dfb). Winters can be harsh, with temperatures dropping to 0 F or colder nine times per year. Summers are warm and pleasant, with temperatures at or above 90 F four times per year. The record high is 96 F, recorded on July 8, 1988, and the record low is -20 F, recorded on January 24, 2011 and February 6, 2015. On average, 153 days see measurable precipitation per year.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 13,708 people, 5,652 households, and 3,156 families residing in the city. The city, which is the smallest in Massachusetts, ranks second (after Pittsfield) out of 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County by population. The population density was 665.4 PD/sqmi, ranking it 2nd in the county. There were 6,523 housing units at an average density of 316.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 93.0% White, 1.8% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 5,652 households, out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.2% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.74% under the age of 18, 16.9% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.75 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,020, and the median income for a family was $90,000. The per capita income for the city was $19,857. About 9.0% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those age 20 or over.

Arts
Due to North Adams being the location of MASS MoCA, there are numerous art galleries spread throughout the city, and a few of the old mills have been converted to lofts for artists to live and work in. A new, Frank Gehry-designed Extreme Model Railroad and Contemporary Architecture Museum is proposed to be built in North Adams.

Sites and events

 * Houghton Mansion
 * Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
 * Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
 * Natural Bridge State Park
 * North Adams Museum of History and Science—North Adams Historical Society
 * Western Gateway Heritage State Park
 * Fall Foliage Festival
 * Solid Sound Festival

Sites listed on National Register of Historic Places

 * Armstrong House
 * Beaver Mill
 * Blackinton Historic District
 * The Boardman
 * Charles Browne House
 * Church Street-Caddy Hill Historic District
 * H. W. Clark Biscuit Company
 * Crowley House
 * Freeman's Grove Historic District
 * Freight Yard Historic District
 * Hathaway Tenement
 * Hillside Cemetery
 * Hoosac Tunnel
 * Johnson Manufacturing Company
 * Johnson School
 * Monument Square-Eagle Street Historic District
 * Norad Mill
 * Wells House
 * Windsor Print Works

Sports
The city is home to the North Adams SteepleCats of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). The SteepleCats play at Joe Wolfe Field in North Adams. The SteepleCats hold the NECBL record for highest single-game attendance. The record was made on July 4, 2006, in a game against the Holyoke Giants in front of 6,714 fans. Holyoke won the game 3–2.

North Adams' first professional sports franchise was the Berkshire Battalion, an expansion team of the Federal Hockey League, which played a single season in 2014–2015. Troubled by an embezzlement charge against its coach and general manager, who had also been manager of the municipal skating ring, and fractious lease negotiations with the city, the team relocated after its single season to Dayton, Ohio.

There are many athletic complexes and recreational fields throughout the city, including the Noel Field Athletic Complex, just south of the downtown, and the recently constructed Alcombright Athletic Complex, in the city's west end.

Government
North Adams is governed by the mayor-council form of government (list of mayors of North Adams, Massachusetts). The city has its own services, including police, fire and public works. The city's public library is the largest in northern Berkshire County and has access to the regional library networks.

On the state level, North Adams is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by the First Berkshire district, which covers northern Berkshire County, and is represented by former mayor John Barrett III of North Adams (elected in a special election in November, 2017). In the Massachusetts Senate, the city is represented by Sen. Paul Mark (the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties). North Adams is located in the Eighth Massachusetts Governor's Council district and is represented by city resident Tara Jacobs. The city is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.

On the national level, North Adams 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
North Adams operates its own public school system, with three elementary schools (Brayton Elementary School, Greylock Elementary School and Colegrove Park Elementary School) and Drury High School, which also serves several neighboring towns. The city is also home to Charles H. McCann Technical High School, as well as several private and parochial schools.

Former schools

 * Johnson School (Closed 1994, Grades Pre-K–5)
 * Silvio O. Conte Middle School (Closed June 2009, Grades 6–8)
 * Sullivan Elementary School (Closed December 2015, Grades K–7)
 * St. Joseph's School (North Adams, Massachusetts) (Closed in 1970s)
 * Notre Dame school. Closed 1975. Grades K–8.

Higher education
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) enrolls about 1,980 students. Founded in 1894 as North Adams Normal School, in 1932, the Normal School became the State Teachers College of North Adams. In 1960, the college changed its name to North Adams State College and added professional degrees in Business Administration and Education. In 1997, the name changed to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, reflective of specialty school status within the Massachusetts State College system.

Roads and highways
North Adams is the western terminus of the Mohawk Trail, which ascends to the West Summit along a steep, curving road. While the trail ends here, Massachusetts Route 2, which the trail is coextensive with, continues westward into Williamstown and towards New York. Route 8 also passes through the city, passing from Adams through the city and northward into Clarksburg. Route 8A, also known as 8A-U (for "upper"), runs parallel to Route 8 east of the main route, and is located entirely within city limits.

The nearest interstate highway is Interstate 91 to the east, almost an hour away. North Adams appears on that highway's signs at Exit 26, located in Greenfield.

Public transportation
The city is the northern terminus of several lines of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) and also has regional service. Intercity bus service is provided in nearby Williamstown by Peter Pan Lines with connections to New York City, as well as towns and cities between. North Adams is home to Harriman-and-West Airport, a small regional airport. The nearest airport with national service is Albany International Airport. The freight rail line which passes through the city extends through the Hoosac Tunnel towards the east. The nearest passenger rail service to North Adams is the recently re-routed Amtrak Vermonter in Greenfield, Massachusetts, an hour to the east. Pittsfield, to the south, also has once-daily Amtrak service, the Lake Shore Limited, at its station. There is a proposal known as "Northern Tier Passenger Rail" in the early stages of planning which would extend MBTA's Fitchburg Line westward through Greenfield and terminate at North Adams. This would be the first passenger rail in the town since service ended in the 1950s.

Notable people

 * Amanda L. Aikens (1833–1892), Editor, philanthropist
 * Caleb Atwater (1778–1867), Archeologist, politician
 * Paul Babeau (born 1969), Sheriff, politician
 * Andrea Barrett (born 1954), Novelist
 * Jonah Bayliss (born 1980), MLB relief pitcher
 * Daniel E. Bosley (born 1953), State representative
 * Harry C. Browne (1878–1954), Banjo player and actor
 * Gailanne Cariddi (1953–2017), State representatives
 * Arthur P. Carpenter, US Marshal for Vermont
 * Jack Chesbro (1874–1931), Hall of Fame pitcher
 * Martha Coakley (born 1953), Massachusetts attorney general
 * Jeremiah Colegrove (1758–1836), Early leading citizen
 * John M. Darby (1804–1877), Botanist, chemist
 * Will Durant (1885–1981), Philosopher, historian
 * Paul Farmer (1959–2022), Physician, anthropologist
 * Joseph F. Finnegan (1904–1964), Labor mediator
 * Van Hansis (born 1981), Actor
 * John Henry Haynes (1849–1910), Archaeologist and photographer
 * Peter Laird (born 1954), Comic book artist
 * Amy Lee, Saxophonist
 * Frank J. Matrango (1926–1996), Massachusetts state legislator
 * Martin Melcher (1915–1968), Film producer and husband of Doris Day
 * Francis Millard (1914–1958), U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist Wrestler
 * Thomas Ward Osborn (1833–1898), U.S. Senator, Col. in Civil War
 * Harrison Potter (1891–1984), Classical pianist
 * Fritz Redl (1902-1988), Child psychoanalyst and educator
 * Robert Rheinlander (1880–1961), Architect and civil engineer
 * John Henry Schwarz, Theoretical physicist
 * Hiram Sibley (1807–1888), Industrialist, philanthropist
 * Frank J. Sprague (1857–1934), Electrical engineer, inventor
 * John St. Cyr (1936–2022), Massachusetts state legislator and judge
 * Jane Swift (born 1965), Massachusetts Lt. governor
 * Oswald Tower (1883–1968), Basketball official
 * Frank Vincent (1939–2017), Actor
 * Ashley B. Wright (1841–1897), U.S. representative

Sister City

 * 🇮🇹 Tremosine sul Garda, Italy

title: North Adams, Massachusetts


text:
Otis, Massachusetts

Otis is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,634 at the 2020 census.

History

Officially incorporated in 1810, the town was created when the unincorporated town of Loudon annexed the adjacent District of Bethlehem in 1809. It was named after Harrison Gray Otis, an influential lawyer, financier, and politician in revolutionary Massachusetts. Colonel Henry Knox passed through the town in January 1776, bringing cannons from Fort Ticonderoga in New York to aid in ending the Siege of Boston, a route now known as the Knox Trail. The town was a farming community, with several small mill industries growing along the waterways, and today is mostly rural with some tourism.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 98.5 km2, of which 92.1 km2 is land and 6.5 km2, or 6.55%, is water. Otis lies along the eastern border of Berkshire County with Hampden County, bordered by Becket to the north, Blandford to the east, Tolland to the southeast, Sandisfield to the south, and Monterey and Tyringham to the west. Otis is 23 mi southeast of Pittsfield, 30 mi west-northwest of Springfield, and 116 mi west of Boston.

Otis lies in the southern end of the Berkshire Mountains, and is dotted by several hills. The West Branch of the Farmington River rises in the town, heading southward towards the Connecticut River. The southeastern part of town is dominated by the Otis Reservoir and Big Pond, as well as portions of Tolland State Forest and Otis State Forest. The highest points in the town are to the north, with Church Hill to the east and Kingsbury Mountain to the west. Much of the land around the brooks of town is marshy. Just west of the town center is Otis Ridge Ski Area. Most of the population is around the reservoir and the center of town.

Otis lies at the intersection of Massachusetts Route 8 and Route 23. Route 8 was once part of the New England interstate system, as the Stratford-Waterbury-North Adams Route. Route 23 is known as the Knox Trail, with a historical marker along the route in the eastern part of town. Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) passes through the northern edge of town twice, with the nearest exit being in Lee. There is no rail, bus or air service in town, with the nearest being in Pittsfield and Westfield. The nearest national air service is at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Climate
In a typical year, Otis, Massachusetts temperatures fall below 50 F for 205 days per year. Annual precipitation is typically 48 inches per year (the highest 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 10 straight days of moderate rain per year. The humidity is below 60% for approximately 18.4 days or 5% of the year.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,365 people, 567 households, and 386 families residing in the town. By population, Otis ranks 19th out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 312th out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 38.1 PD/sqmi, which ranks it 18th in the county and 312th in the Commonwealth. There were 1,572 housing units at an average density of 43.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.56% White, 0.59% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.88% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.29% of the population.

There were 567 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. Of all households, 24.3% 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 2.4 and the average family size was 2.9.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,488, and the median income for a family was $55,455. Males had a median income of $41,065 versus $30,179 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,029. About 4.6% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Otis uses the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen and an administrative assistant. The current Board of Selectmen consists of Bill Hiller, Larry Southard, and Gary Thomas. All four of the town's main offices, including the town hall, police and fire departments and the town library, are located at the center of town, as is the central post office. A second post office is located in East Otis. The library is a part of the regional library systems. The nearest hospital, Noble Hospital, is 20 mi away in Westfield.

On the state level, Otis 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 Otis Police Department, as well as the First (Lee) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police. Kris McDonough serves as the Chief of Police and Director of Emergency Management for the town. Richard Phair serves as the Fire Chief.

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

Education
Otis, along with neighboring Sandisfield, Tolland and Becket, is part of the Farmington River Regional School District. The district's only school, Farmington River Elementary School, houses students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grades. For the upper grades, most students attend either (1) Great Barrington-based Monument Valley Regional Middle School and Monument Mountain Regional High School or (2) Lee Middle/High School. Proximity to private schools located in Lenox, Great Barrington, or Westfield allow alternatives to public school.

The nearest community college is Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield and Great Barrington. The nearest state college is Westfield State University. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington, with other private colleges in Springfield.

Cultural references
The song "Otis" by Medeski, Martin & Wood is named after Otis. In an interview with Marian McPartland in 2005, John Medeski states, "the tune kinda reflects the place and friends I have out there...something about it."

title: Otis, Massachusetts