Hinsdale, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Hinsdale is a town
in Berkshire County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. It is part of the Pittsfield
, Massachusetts
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,872 at the 2000 census.
, when it closed. The town center was also a stop on the famed Lake Shore Limited passenger rail service that runs from Boston to Chicago (then owned by the Boston and Albany Railroad
and presently by Amtrak
), however the station was closed in the 1930s shortly after the closing of the mill.
, the town has a total area of 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²), of which, 20.8 square miles (53.9 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it (3.96%) 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 miles east of Pittsfield
, 42 miles northwest of Springfield
, and 120 miles 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 Ashmere Lake along the Peru town line. The town, which contains the peak of Tully Mountain along the western border, also is traversed by a portion of the Appalachian Trail
, which crosses the mountain. The town also has several summer camps, and a country club.
Route 8 Crosses the town from the south to the Dalton border in the northwest. Route 143 also 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 also lies at the eastern terminus of the Berkshire Regional Trainsit 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.
of 2000, there were 1,872 people, 739 households, and 509 families residing in the town. 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 people per square mile (34.7/km²), which ranks 13th and 290th in the county and Commonwealth, respectively. There were 970 housing units at an average density of 46.6 per square mile (18.0/km²). 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. 25.7% of all households 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.
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 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 Ben 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
.
On the national level, Hinsdale is represented in the United States House of Representatives
as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district
, and has been represented by John Olver
of Amherst
since June 1991. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate
by senior Senator John Kerry
and Republican Scott Brown, who surprised Democrat Attorney General Martha Coakley in a special election early in 2010.
, 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
.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Berkshire County
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County is a non-governmental county located on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2010 census, the population was 131,219. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Pittsfield
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,872 at the 2000 census.
History
Originally part of Northern Berkshire Township Number 2 and including all of Peru and part of Middlefield, the town was first settled in 1763 and was 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 DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, when it closed. The town center was also a stop on the famed Lake Shore Limited passenger rail service that runs from Boston to Chicago (then owned by the Boston and Albany Railroad
Boston and Albany Railroad
The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
and presently by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
), however the station was closed in the 1930s shortly after the closing of the mill.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²), of which, 20.8 square miles (53.9 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it (3.96%) is water. Hinsdale is located in central Berkshire County, and is bordered by Windsor
Windsor, Massachusetts
Windsor is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 875 at the 2000 census.-History:...
to the north, Peru
Peru, Massachusetts
Peru is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 821 at the 2000 census.- History :Originally known as Northern Berkshire Township Number 2 and including all of Hinsdale and part of Middlefield, the town was first settled in 1767 and was officially incorporated...
to the east, Washington
Washington, Massachusetts
Washington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 538 at the 2010 census.- History :...
to the south, and Dalton
Dalton, Massachusetts
Dalton is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Dalton is the transition town between the urban and rural pieces of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,892 at the 2000 census.- History...
to the west. Hinsdale is 9 miles east of Pittsfield
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
, 42 miles northwest of Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, and 120 miles 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
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
, 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 Ashmere Lake along the Peru town line. The town, which contains the peak of Tully Mountain along the western border, also is traversed by a portion of the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
, which crosses the mountain. The town also has several summer camps, and a country club.
Route 8 Crosses the town from the south to the Dalton border in the northwest. Route 143 also begins at Route 8 at the center of town. The town lies along a CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
rail line (former New York Central
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
), which brings Amtrak and freight service to Pittsfield. The town also lies at the eastern terminus of the Berkshire Regional Trainsit 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
Pittsfield Municipal Airport
Pittsfield Municipal Airport, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is a public airport owned and operated by the city of Pittsfield. It has two runways, averages 133 flights per day, and has approximately 57 aircraft based on its field....
). The nearest airport with national flights is Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
in Connecticut.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,872 people, 739 households, and 509 families residing in the town. 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
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 89.8 people per square mile (34.7/km²), which ranks 13th and 290th in the county and Commonwealth, respectively. There were 970 housing units at an average density of 46.6 per square mile (18.0/km²). 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.7% of all households 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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
Government
Hinsdale employs the open town meetingOpen town meeting
An open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....
form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
. The town has its own services, including police, fire and public works departments. Hinsdale shares its post office (and its ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
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
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
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 Paul Mark. In the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
, 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 Ben 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
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
.
On the national level, Hinsdale is represented in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district
Massachusetts's 1st congressional district
Massachusetts's 1st congressional district is in western and central Massachusetts. The largest Massachusetts district in area, it covers about one-third of the state and is more rural than the rest. It has the state's highest point, Mount Greylock...
, and has been represented by John Olver
John Olver
John Walter Olver is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early in his career, he was a chemistry professor and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
of Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
since June 1991. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by senior Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
and Republican Scott Brown, who surprised Democrat Attorney General Martha Coakley in a special election early in 2010.
Education
Hinsdale is one of the seven towns in the Central Berkshire Regional School DistrictCentral Berkshire Regional School District
The Central Berkshire Regional School District is the largest school district in the state of Massachusetts, covering over 214 square miles. It serves seven towns, six in central Berkshire County, Massachusetts; Becket, Dalton, Hinsdale, Peru, Washington, and Windsor; the seventh is the town of...
, 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
Berkshire Community College
Berkshire Community College is a two-year community college in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It offers associate degrees as well as a transfer program for students to earn credits for transfer to other colleges...
in Pittsfield. The nearest state college is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a public, residential, liberal arts college that offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Located in North Adams, Massachusetts, it is part of the state university system of Massachusetts. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts...
in North Adams, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
.
Points of interest
- Camp Taconic
- Camp Romaca
- Camp Emerson
- Plunkett Lake
- Israel Bissell Homestead and Grave
- Lake AshmereLake AshmereLake Ashmere, or Ashmore Lake, is a small lake in rural Massachusetts, near Pittsfield, Massachusetts.- Usage :Lake Ashmere is used mostly for recreational purposes. It is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.- Ashmere Lake Dam :...
- Camp Ashmere
- The Hinsdale Public Library
- Town Hall
- Hinsdale Dayz Inc.
- Dan Duquette Sports Academy
- Camp Danbee