With my exploration of Barnstable County at an end I turn my attention to the western part of Massachusetts. Let’s get into it!
Adams
Pronunciation: Ad-ams
Population in 2020: 10,559
Incorporated: 1778
Original name: unknown
Originally called Township Number One and then East Hoosac “a place of stones”, Adams was named for Samuel Adams, patriot and brewer.
Alford
Pronunciation: All-ford
Population in 2020: 486
Incorporated: 1773
Original name: Podunke (meaning unknown)
Alford was named for Colonel John Alford of Charlestown, who was known for supporting religious causes, particularly sharing the Gospel with Native people.
Alford, England gets its name from Old English: ald-ford meaning “old ford.” A ford is a crossing place in a river or stream.
Becket
Pronunciation: Beck-itt
Population in 2020: 1931
Incorporated: 1765
Original name: unknown
There are two stories regarding the name Becket. One is that the town is named for English Archbishop and martyr Thomas a Beckett. The other is that it was named by Massachusetts Bay governor Sir Francis Bernard, who had visited William Barrington, an English Viscount at his home Beckett Hall in Shrivenham, Berkshire. The second seems more likely given that the first church the inhabitants had access to (in Blandford) was Presbyterian and the first minister called to Becket was a Congregationalist. (Source) Neither denomination venerates the former Archbishop of Canterbury!
Cheshire
Pronunciation: Chesh-er, maybe Chesh-uh
Population in 2020: 3,258
Incorporated: 1793
Original name: unknown
Cheshire was founded by Baptists from Rhode Island and named for Cheshire, England. Originally, the settlement was named New Providence, but later joined with other small settlements and was renamed for the dairy farming town back in the old country. The explanation I have seen for this was that the settlers were farmers and the landscape was similar. Now, as far as I know these settlers were all from Rhode Island, not England. Ah, well, maybe it was aspirational.
At any rate, Cheshire is responsible for this great scene from The West Wing.
Clarksburg
Pronunciation: Clarks-burg, maybe Clahks-burg.
Population in 2020: 1,657
Incorporated: 1798
Original name: unknown
Hold up, hold up! I am seeing a trend here…it’s impossible to find out what the native population called this area before the white settlers came in. Not cool.
Ok, back to Clarksville. The town was settled by 3 men: Captain Matthew Ketchum, Colonel William Bullock, and Nicholas Clark, all from Cumberland, RI. One version of the story is that the men were voting on the name and presumably were all voting for themselves. Clark’s wife had a baby, which broke the tie. But babies can’t vote, so I think the second explanation, that Clark and his 3 brothers all came from RI to settle, makes more sense. There were a lot of Clarks, hence, Clarksville. (These two explanations are on the same Clarksville website. I wonder if anyone has ever noticed the discrepancy.)
Dalton
Pronunciation: Doll-ton
Population in 2020: 6,330
Incorporated: 1784
Original name: unknown
Dalton was part of what were known as the Equivalent Lands. Some Massachusetts settlers had accidentally settled in Connecticut, so Massachusetts made equivalent land available to some Nutmeggers.
The town was named for Tristram Dalton, who was at that time Speaker of the House in Massachusetts. He had no personal connection to the town.
Egremont
Pronunciation: Egg-ruh-mont
Population in 2020: 1,372
Incorporated: 1775
Original name: unknown
Egremont was named for Charles Windham, the second earl of Egremont, who was a British parliamentarian and one-time secretary of state for the Southern Department, which oversaw the British colonies. He had no apparent connection to the town.
Florida
Pronunciation: Flah-rih-dah
Population in 2020: 694
Incorporated: 1805
Original name: unknown
The official explanation, from the town itself, is that Florida was named such ” perhaps because Spanish Florida was a topic of conversation at the time.” Well, it certainly was!
It also contains a village called Drury, of which there is scant information.
Great Barrington
Pronunciation: Grate Bah-ring-ton
Population in 2020: 7,172
Incorporated: 1761
Original name: Mahaiwe “The place down stream“
Some say the town was named for Great Barrington, a village in England. The town’s official walking tour says it was named for “Lord Barrington.” (Here’s a letter Barrington wrote about sending British troops to Boston.) I mean, he doesn’t seem like a likely namesake, but who knows.
Hancock
Pronunciation: Han-cock
Population in 2020: 757
Incorporated: 1776
Original name: unknown
The longest and narrowest town in the Berkshires, Hancock was once known as Plantation of Jericho but was renamed after John Hancock. This was a very 1776 thing to do. Very much part of the Zeitgeist.
Hinsdale
Pronunciation: Hinz-dale
Population in 2020: 1,919
Incorporated: 1804
Original name: unknown
I’ll let the town speak for itself:
“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.“
I would like all of the other towns to listen while Hinsdale reads its history to the class. See how succinct yet thorough it is? I expect you all to do better next time.
Lanesborough
Pronunciation: Lainz-burro
Population in 2020: 3,038
Incorporated: 1765
Original name: unknown
Originally called “Richfield” and then “New Framingham” the town was re-named after the Countess of Lanesborough, a friend of town-naming powerhouse Gov. Francis Bernard, who incorporated the town.
But which Countess? Probably this one, given the dates. She looks fun.
Lee
Pronunciation: Leeeee
Population in 2020: 5,788
Incorporated: 1777
Original name: unknown
Lee was known as Dodgetown, after settler Asahel Dodge but renamed during the Revolutionary War after General Charles Lee (“I’m a general, whee!“).
Lenox
Pronunciation: Len-ux
Population in 2020: 5,095
Incorporated: 1767
Original name: unknown
I have always thought that Lenox should have a second “n” in there and it turns out that it should. Named for “radical duke” Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, the town’s name was apparently written in a typical colonial way: the double n was indicated by a line over the letter. A perhaps apocryphal clerk misread this and incorporated the town as Lenox.
Monterey
Pronunciation: Moneray
Population in 2020: 1,095
Incorporated: 1847
Original name: unknown
Originally part of Tyringham, the town was named Monterey after a battle during the Mexican-American War.
Mount Washington
Pronunciation: You got this
Population in 2020: 160
Incorporated: 1779
Original name: unknown
You are not imagining things: there are only 160 residents in Mount Washington, making it the least populated town in the Berkshires. It also borders both New York and Connecticut. The town is named after George Washington, who at the time was leading the Continental Army in the American Revolution.
New Ashford
Pronunciation: Noo Ash-ford
Population in 2020: 250
Incorporated: 1835
Original name: unknown
The founders of New Ashford came from Ashford, CT, which is kind of boring. What is NOT boring is the fact that the town was once the first place in the US to cast votes in the presidential election, an honor which today goes to Dixville Notch, NH. Also election related: resident Phoebe Jordan was the first woman in the US to vote in a presidential election, following the ratification of the 19th amendment.
New Marlborough
Pronunciation: Noo Marl-boro of maybe Mahl-boro
Population in 2020: 1,528
Incorporated: 1759
Original name: unknown
The proprietors of this town were from Marlborough, MA, which was probably named for Marlborough, England. More on that when I get to Middlesex county.
Villages:
Clayton – the southernmost community in the county. Named for the clay deposits used by the local paper mills.
Hartsville – ?
Mill River
New Marlborough Village
Southfield
North Adams
Pronunciation: North Ad-ams
Population in 2020: 12,961
Incorporated: 1878
Original name: unknown
Otis
Pronunciation: Oh-tis
Population in 2020: 1,634
Incorporated: 1810
Original name: unknown
Named for this guy:
I’m getting the sense that it was popular in the 18th century to name your town after somebody famous, whether to make your town look fancy by association or to put yourself in the good graces of said person.
Peru
Pronunciation: Puh-roo
Population in 2020: 814
Incorporated: 1771
Original name: unknown
You will perhaps not be surprised that the ubiquitous Governor Francis Bernard was an owner of the the town that was renamed Peru: Partridgefield. The name was changed in 1806 because “Like Peru in South America, we are in the mountains, and while there is no gold and silver under the rocks, our town favors hard money and starts with a P.” So said Rev. John Leland, a Baptist minister, abolitionist and supporter of religious liberty and the separation of church and state. It was apparently Leland’s idea to bring the giant cheese from Cheshire to Washington DC and he himself transported it. (source)
Pittsfield
Pronunciation: Pitz-feeld
Population in 2020: 43,927
Incorporated: 1761
Original name: Pontoosuck “falls on the brook” or “field for winter deer”
Pittsfield was named by the one and only Governor Francis Bernard. It was named after William Pitt, a British nobleman and politician who once served as Prime Minister. (Pittsburgh is also named for this Pitt.)
Pittsfiled is the largest city in the county and serves as the county seat.
Richmond
Pronunciation: Ritch-mund
Population in 2020: 1,407
Incorporated: 1765
Original name: unknown
The first European settlers here were named Micah Mudge and Ichabod Wood, two amazing pioneer names.
The town was formed when Richmont (yes, with a T) broke into two towns: Richmond and Lenox. (Source)
Richmond is also named for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond. Wikipedia claims the towns were given their names by, you guessed it, Governor Francis Bernard, and it seems like something he would do, but I haven’t found anything to back this up.
Sandisfield
Pronunciation: Sand-iss-feeld
Population in 2020: 989
Incorporated: 1762
Original name: unknown
Sandisfield was named for Samuel Sandys, the 1st Baron Sandys of Ombersley, England. The official history says that Sandys was appointed as First Lord of Trade and the Plantations in 1761. This was a body of colonial overseers. However, it had been replaced by the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations in 1696, so I need to look into this more. (Just for fun, here’s a letter from friend of the blog Governor Francis Bernard to the Commissioners.)
Savoy
Pronunciation: Suh-voy
Population in 2020: 645
Incorporated: 1797
Original name: unknown
Savoy was originally called “New Seconk” (Seekonk) but was renamed Savoy at incorporation supposedly due to its resemblance to the Duchy of Savoy on Lake Geneva in France. (source) The Duchy is in the Alps, which are mountains, and the Berkshires are also mountains, so that tracks.
Sheffield
Pronunciation: Shef-field
Population in 2020: 3,327
Incorporated: 1733
Original name: Housatonic?
The oldest town in the Berkshires, Sheffield is apparently named after the town of the same name in Yorkshire, UK. One of the first settlers was Colonel John Ashley, who became quite a prominent citizen. You can read here about the research that has been done into the lives of the people Ashley enslaved. Sheffield means “Open Land by the River Sheaf.”
Stockbridge
Pronunciation: Pretty much what you’d think
Population in 2020: 2,018
Incorporated: 1739
Stockbridge was founded by Christian missionaries as a “praying town” for Mohicans who had converted to Christianity. Eventually this land was stolen and the tribe was pushed all the way to Wisconsin. The missionaries named the town for Stockbridge, UK. It means “a bridge made of tree trunks.”
Tyringham
Pronunciation: Tirring-ham
Population in 2020: 427
Incorporated: 1739
According to the town website, Tyringham was named by that rapscallion Governor Francis Bernard after a cousin named Jane Tyringham, who had left him an estate. This makes Tyringham the only town in the Bershires named for a woman. Unless the other story is true, which is that Lord Viscount Howe named it after Tyringham, UK, just days before being killed in the French and Indian War.
Washington
Pronunciation: Like the president
Population in 2020: 494
Incorporated: 1777
Named for the future first president, whose family name means “the land of the family of Wassa.”
West Stockbridge
Pronunciation: C’mon now
Population in 2020: 1,343
Incorporated: 1774
Original Name: Quapaukuk,
This town grew out of Stockbridge and was at one time called Queensborough. There wasn’t a particular queen, it was just a mispronunciation of Quapaukuk, At any rate, it was renamed West Stockbridge and so it remains.
Williamstown
Pronunciation: Another easy one
Population in 2020: 7,513
Incorporated: 1765
Named for Ephraim Williams, who left the town a large sum of money in exchange for naming rights. Williams, who was described as “large and fleshy,” died in the French and Indian War. Williams College is named for him.
Windsor
Pronunciation: Windzer
Population in 2020: 831
Incorporated: 1771
Windsor was chosen to replace “Gageborough,” which had originally been named for General Thomas Gage, in 1778. Gage was a hated British figure by then. (I wonder if old boy Bernard chose Gage for the honor.) There is some disagreement over the “d” in the name.”(Source)
So there you have it! The Berkshires in all their glory (puts hand to earpiece) Folks I am getting word that “The Berkshires” refers to a geographic area beyond just Berkshire County and that -good heavens – the area was named by, you guessed it, Governor Francis Bernard after his home county of Berkshire, England. That place, though lovely, seems very flat, so I don’t know what that’s all about. Maybe he ran out of famous friends to name things after.
Next up: Bristol County!
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