Whately, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Whately is a town
in Franklin County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 1,573 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
, a Member of Parliament
whose letter to Hutchinson would later be involved in the controversy which brought on Hutchinson's dismissal. Whately was the site of the state's first gin
distillery, as well as other small mills, including wool and furniture mills. The town also used the water in town for agricultural pursuits, including dairying and one of the few Sumatran tobacco
fields outside of Indonesia.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 20.7 square miles (53.6 km²), of which, 20.2 square miles (52.3 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.32%) is water. Whately lies along the southern border of the county, north of Hampshire County
, and is bordered by Conway
to the northwest, Deerfield
to the northeast, Sunderland
to the east, Hatfield
to the south, and Williamsburg
to the west. Whately is located eleven miles south of Greenfield
, 26 miles north of Springfield
, and 95 miles west of Boston.
Whately lies along the western banks of the Connecticut River
in the Pioneer Valley
. The western part of town is hilly, with the highest point being the 980-foot Mount Esther. East of the hills, the Mill River flows through town, with some swampland to the east of it between it and the Great Swamp Brook, a tributary which meets in the town. There is more marshy land in the southeast of town, closer to the Connecticut, and some small ponds between the two. Much of the land around the two rivers is cleared for farmland.
Whately is crossed by Interstate 91
, which passes from north to south in the town, and is accessed at Exit 23 by U.S. Route 5
and the concurrently-running Route 10
. The combined routes run roughly parallel to the interstate, crossing it twice in the town. In the north of town, a short, 200-yard stretch of Route 116
follows the same road as Routes 5 & 10 before another 400-yard stretch heads east back into the town of Deerfield, a result of the realignment of the route due to the building of the interstate. Whately shared the Pilgrim Airport, a small, general aviation airport with neighboring Hatfield, but the field was closed and is currently used as farmland. The nearest general aviation airport is Northampton Airport
, with the nearest national air service being at Bradley International Airport
in Windsor Locks
, Connecticut
.
of 2000, there were 1,573 people, 629 households, and 425 families residing in the town. By population, Whately ranked fifteenth of the twenty six towns in Franklin County, and 305th of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density
was 78.0 people per square mile (30.1/km²), which ranked twelfth in the county and 297th in the Commonwealth. There were 652 housing units at an average density of 32.3 per square mile (12.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.97% White, 0.51% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.32% from other races
, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.
There were 629 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% 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 2.96.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $58,929, and the median income for a family was $66,488. Males had a median income of $45,208 versus $28,177 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,826. About 1.8% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
Whately employs the open town meeting
form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen
and an administrative assistant. The town has its own police, fire and public works departments, as well as its own post office. The town's S. White Dickinson Memorial Library is connected to the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System, which is headquartered in the town's industrial park. While most state offices and the regional waste management area are based in Greenfield, the town is actually closer to Northampton, the former seat of Hampshire County. The nearest hospital is also in Northampton.
On the state level, Whately is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
by the First Franklin district, which includes the southeastern third of Franklin County and towns in north central Hampshire County. In the Massachusetts Senate
, the town is represented by the Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes much of eastern Franklin and Hampshire Counties. The town is patrolled by the Whately Police Department, with backup from the Headquarters (Northampton) Barracks of Troop "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.
On the national level, Whately 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 represented in the United States Senate
by senior Senator John Kerry
and junior Senator Scott Brown
.
and Union 38 School Districts, which also includes Conway, Deerfield and Sunderland. Each town operates its own elementary school, with Whately Elementary School serving the town's students from kindergarten through sixth grades. All four towns send seventh through twelfth grade students to Frontier Regional High School
in Deerfield. There are several private schools in neighboring Deerfield, with more in the Greenfield and Northampton areas.
The nearest community college, Greenfield Community College
, is located in Greenfield. The nearest state college is Westfield State College
, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst
. The nearest private colleges, including members of the Five Colleges
and Seven Sisters
, are located southeast in the Northampton area.
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 Franklin County
Franklin County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
, 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...
. The population was 1,573 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts
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...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan area
The Springfield Metropolitan Area is a region that is socio-economically and culturally tied to the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the Springfield metropolitan statistical area as consisting of three counties in Western Massachusetts. As of...
.
History
Whately was first settled in 1672 as a northern section of Hatfield. The town peaceably petitioned for separation from the town because of its relatively long distance from the rest of Hatfield, and was officially incorporated in 1771, named by Governor Thomas Hutchinson for Thomas WhatelyThomas Whately
Thomas Whately , an English politician and writer, was a Member of Parliament , who served as Commissioner on the Board of Trade, as Secretary to the Treasury under Lord Grenville, and as Under- secretary of State under Lord North . As an M.P...
, a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
whose letter to Hutchinson would later be involved in the controversy which brought on Hutchinson's dismissal. Whately was the site of the state's first gin
Gin
Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
distillery, as well as other small mills, including wool and furniture mills. The town also used the water in town for agricultural pursuits, including dairying and one of the few Sumatran tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
fields outside of Indonesia.
Geography
United 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 20.7 square miles (53.6 km²), of which, 20.2 square miles (52.3 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.32%) is water. Whately lies along the southern border of the county, north of Hampshire County
Hampshire County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 152,251 people, 55,991 households, and 33,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 58,644 housing units at an average density of 111 per square mile...
, and is bordered by Conway
Conway, Massachusetts
Conway is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,809 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
to the northwest, Deerfield
Deerfield, Massachusetts
Deerfield is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,750 as of the 2000 census. Deerfield is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area in Western Massachusetts, lying only north of the city of Springfield.Deerfield includes the...
to the northeast, Sunderland
Sunderland, Massachusetts
Sunderland is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, part of the Pioneer Valley. The population was 3,777 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area....
to the east, Hatfield
Hatfield, Massachusetts
Hatfield is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,249 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area....
to the south, and Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Massachusetts
Williamsburg is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,482 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-The Mill River Flood:...
to the west. Whately is located eleven miles south of Greenfield
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
, 26 miles north 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 95 miles west of Boston.
Whately lies along the western banks of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
in the Pioneer Valley
Pioneer Valley
The Pioneer Valley is the colloquial name for the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts's portion of the Connecticut River Valley. The Pioneer Valley consists of three counties in Massachusetts which collectively feature much of New England's most fertile farmland...
. The western part of town is hilly, with the highest point being the 980-foot Mount Esther. East of the hills, the Mill River flows through town, with some swampland to the east of it between it and the Great Swamp Brook, a tributary which meets in the town. There is more marshy land in the southeast of town, closer to the Connecticut, and some small ponds between the two. Much of the land around the two rivers is cleared for farmland.
Whately is crossed by Interstate 91
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
, which passes from north to south in the town, and is accessed at Exit 23 by U.S. Route 5
U.S. Route 5
U.S. Route 5 is a north–south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springfield, Massachusetts. From Hartford northward to St...
and the concurrently-running Route 10
Massachusetts Route 10
Massachusetts Route 10 is a north–south state highway that runs from the state line at Southwick to the state line at Northfield.-Route description:Route 10 crosses the border from Granby, Connecticut into Southwick, Massachusetts, overlapped with US 202...
. The combined routes run roughly parallel to the interstate, crossing it twice in the town. In the north of town, a short, 200-yard stretch of Route 116
Massachusetts Route 116
Route 116 is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. The route runs from Springfield through mill towns, college towns and rural towns, crossing the Connecticut River three times before finally ending in Adams.-Route description:...
follows the same road as Routes 5 & 10 before another 400-yard stretch heads east back into the town of Deerfield, a result of the realignment of the route due to the building of the interstate. Whately shared the Pilgrim Airport, a small, general aviation airport with neighboring Hatfield, but the field was closed and is currently used as farmland. The nearest general aviation airport is Northampton Airport
Northampton Airport
Northampton Airport is a public airport located one mile northeast of central business district of Northampton, a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, USA....
, with the nearest national air service being at 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 Windsor Locks
Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Windsor Locks is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 12,043. It is the site of Bradley International Airport, which serves the Greater Hartford-Springfield region. It is also the site of the New England Air Museum...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
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 1,573 people, 629 households, and 425 families residing in the town. By population, Whately ranked fifteenth of the twenty six towns in Franklin County, and 305th of the 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 78.0 people per square mile (30.1/km²), which ranked twelfth in the county and 297th in the Commonwealth. There were 652 housing units at an average density of 32.3 per square mile (12.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.97% White, 0.51% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.32% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.
There were 629 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% 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, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% 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 2.96.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $58,929, and the median income for a family was $66,488. Males had a median income of $45,208 versus $28,177 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 $27,826. About 1.8% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Open 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:...
and an administrative assistant. The town has its own police, fire and public works departments, as well as its own post office. The town's S. White Dickinson Memorial Library is connected to the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System, which is headquartered in the town's industrial park. While most state offices and the regional waste management area are based in Greenfield, the town is actually closer to Northampton, the former seat of Hampshire County. The nearest hospital is also in Northampton.
On the state level, Whately 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...
by the First Franklin district, which includes the southeastern third of Franklin County and towns in north central Hampshire County. 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 represented by the Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes much of eastern Franklin and Hampshire Counties. The town is patrolled by the Whately Police Department, with backup from the Headquarters (Northampton) Barracks of Troop "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.
On the national level, Whately 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 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 junior Senator Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
.
Education
Whately is a member of Frontier RegionalFrontier Regional School
-Academics:Frontier Regional runs on a semester system. Students can take 4-5 courses per semester; either 4 semester courses that meet everyday, or 3 semester courses that meet everyday and 2 quarter courses that meet every-other day...
and Union 38 School Districts, which also includes Conway, Deerfield and Sunderland. Each town operates its own elementary school, with Whately Elementary School serving the town's students from kindergarten through sixth grades. All four towns send seventh through twelfth grade students to Frontier Regional High School
Frontier Regional School
-Academics:Frontier Regional runs on a semester system. Students can take 4-5 courses per semester; either 4 semester courses that meet everyday, or 3 semester courses that meet everyday and 2 quarter courses that meet every-other day...
in Deerfield. There are several private schools in neighboring Deerfield, with more in the Greenfield and Northampton areas.
The nearest community college, Greenfield Community College
Greenfield Community College
Greenfield Community College is a two-year Community College in Greenfield, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1962, currently has an annual enrollment of 3,000, is regionally known for its art program, its small-town atmosphere, and its setting amid picturesque old farmland at the foot of...
, is located in Greenfield. The nearest state college is Westfield State College
Westfield State College
Westfield State University is a comprehensive, coeducational, four-year public university in Westfield, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1838 by noted educator and social reformer Horace Mann as the first public co-educational college in America without barrier to race, gender and economic class...
, 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...
. The nearest private colleges, including members of the Five Colleges
Five Colleges (Massachusetts)
The Five Colleges comprises four liberal arts colleges and one university in the Connecticut River Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, totaling approximately 28,000 students. The schools belong to a consortium called Five Colleges, Incorporated, established in 1965...
and Seven Sisters
Seven Sisters (colleges)
The Seven Sisters are seven liberal arts colleges in the Northeastern United States that are historically women's colleges. They are Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Mount Holyoke College, Radcliffe College, Smith College, Vassar College, and Wellesley College. All were founded between 1837 and...
, are located southeast in the Northampton area.
Further reading
- Temple, Josiah Howard, History of the town of Whately, Mass: including a narrative of leading events from the first planting of Hatfield : 1660-1871 : with family genealogies, Printed for the town by T.R. Marvin & Son, 1872