Alford, Massachusetts
Alford, Massachusetts | ||
---|---|---|
Route 71, with a Knox Trail marker beside the road sign | ||
FIPS code 25-00975 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0618263 | |
Website | www |
Alford is a
History
Alford was first settled in 1756 as part of a land purchase from the Shauanum Stockbridge
Around New Year's Day, 1776, General Henry Knox passed into Massachusetts through the town, bringing cannons from Fort Ticonderoga eastward to help end the Siege of Boston. Today, this route is known as the Knox Trail, and a marker is located at the state line.
-
Susan Smith Andersen Library
-
Alford Village Church
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.5 square miles (29.9 km2), of which 11.5 square miles (29.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.35%, is water.[3] Alford lies along the western border of Berkshire County and Massachusetts, east of Columbia County, New York. The town, which is roughly shaped like an arrowhead, is bordered by West Stockbridge to the northeast, Great Barrington to the southeast, Egremont to the south, and Hillsdale and Austerlitz, New York, to the west. Alford is located 19 miles (31 km) south-southwest of Pittsfield, 50 miles (80 km) west-northwest of Springfield, 138 miles (222 km) west of Boston, and 44 miles (71 km) southeast of Albany, New York.
Alford is surrounded by hills and mountains of the
Alford is home to the western terminus of
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1850 | 502 | — |
1860 | 542 | +8.0% |
1870 | 430 | −20.7% |
1880 | 348 | −19.1% |
1890 | 297 | −14.7% |
1900 | 272 | −8.4% |
1910 | 275 | +1.1% |
1920 | 248 | −9.8% |
1930 | 200 | −19.4% |
1940 | 201 | +0.5% |
1950 | 212 | +5.5% |
1960 | 256 | +20.8% |
1970 | 302 | +18.0% |
1980 | 394 | +30.5% |
1990 | 418 | +6.1% |
2000 | 399 | −4.5% |
2010 | 494 | +23.8% |
2020 | 486 | −1.6% |
2022* | 483 | −0.6% |
* = population estimate. Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] |
As of the
There were 171 households, out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. Of all households 29.8% were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 18.0% from 25 to 44, 41.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $49,632, and the median income for a family was $62,344. Males had a median income of $47,083 versus $28,929 for females. The
Government
Alford uses the
On the state level, Alford 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.[16] The town is patrolled by the First (Lee) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.[17]
On the national level, Alford is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey.
Education
Alford is part of the Mount Everett Regional School District along with Egremont, Monterey, Mount Washington, 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.[18] 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 University of Massachusetts is the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington.
Notable people
- Carolyn Gold Heilbrun, mystery writer, once had a summer home in town[2]
- John W. Hulbert (1770–1831), born in Alford, lawyer and congressman from Massachusetts[19]
References
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Alford town, Berkshire County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- ^ a b "Town History - Town of Alford, Mass". Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Alford town, Berkshire County, Massachusetts". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
- ^ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
- ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
- ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Senators and Representatives by City and Town". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved March 8, 2008.
- ^ Station B-1, SP Lee
- ^ Southern Berkshire Regional School District homepage
- ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)