I’ll be honest, I’m unfamiliar with most of this part of the state. I’m wondering why Franklin isn’t in Franklin County. All will be revealed.
Ashfield
Pronunciation: Ash-feeld
Population in 2020: 1,695
Incorporated: 1765
Original name: Ashfield was part of the Nipmuc Tribal Nation
Originally settled as Huntsville, in honor of Captain Ephraim Hunt of Weymouth, who died during King William’s War. I did not know there was a King William’s War. But there was, and afterwards the colonial government granted land to descendants of Hunt and his men.
So how did it become Ashfield? Well, it might be because of the Ash trees. Or it might be because your friend and mine, old Governor Francis Bernard himself, had a friend in Ashfield, England named Lord Thurslow. Since Bernard named so many MA towns during his tenure as Governor, I am going with this explanation.
Bernardston
Pronunciation: Burrrr-nard-ston
Population in 2020: 1,816
Incorporated: 1779
Original name: unsure
Bernardston was part of Colrain and was settled by soldiers and their descendents who had fought in the French and Indian War. It was called “Falls Fight Township” in 1734 and renamed in honor of our favorite Governor upon incorporation in 1762. Based on the dates, Bernard actually named the town after himself, himself! What a scamp.
Buckland
Pronunciation: Buck-lund
Population in 2020: 2,102
Incorporated: 1762
Original name: apparently none
The interesting thing about Buckland is that it shares a downtown area with another town, Shelburne. It was named after the local deer, presumably. (I can’t find source other than Wikipedia.)
Charlemont
Pronunciation: Shal-la-mont
Population in 2020: 1,185
Incorporated: 1765
Original name: apparently none
Charlemont was called Charley Mount until incorporation, when, in a fantastic coincidence, it was renamed in honor of James Caufield, Earl of Charlemont, Northern Ireland. No really, that’s the story out there. Though this site is striking out on their own and claiming it’s actually a tribute to Charlemagne. (Even less likely.) No word on any Bernard involvement. But you’ll be the first to know if I unearth it.
I tried to make good on my threat to contact historical societies for help but the Charlemont “contact” page is borked.
Oh, one more thing: Charlemont had stops on the Underground Railroad.
Colrain
Pronunciation: Coal-RAIN
Population in 2020: 1,606
Incorporated: 1761
Original name: unknown
Incorporated as Colrain, the town was actually colloquially spelled Coleraine until the government told them to knock that off and spell it the right way. It only took 112 years.
For a small town it certainly has its fair share of villages: Elm Grove, Lyonsville, Foundry Village, Shattuckville, Griswoldville, Colrain City, Catamount Hill, Stewartville, and Gimletville.
Anyway, the town was settled by Scots-Irish immigrants, who understandably did not like the name it came with: Boston Township No. 2. So they named it after Coleraine, Ireland. In Irish, the name is Cúil Raithin and means “Nook of Ferns.” This name was supposedly bestowed by St. Patrick himself.
And there’s a play about it!
Conway
Pronunciation: Con-way
Population in 2020: 1,761
Incorporated: 1767
Original name: apparently none
Conway was part of Deerfield and took the name Conway in tribute to General Henry Seymour Conway, who at one point served as groom of the royal bedchamber for King George II. This was a position of great honor, as the groom actually slept in the king’s bedchamber and attended to his most personal needs. Why did a small town in Western MA (And one in NH) choose to honor him? For one, he was instrumental in the appeal of the Stamp Act, which American colonists and Brits both disliked.
Deerfield
Pronunciation: just like you think
Population in 2020: 5,090
Incorporated: 1677
Original name: Pocomtuc
So, some of Dedham was taken to make a “Praying Indian” town and the area known as Pocomtuc was seized and given to people from Dedham to make up for it.
The area was first referred to as Chestnut Country by the settlers, but eventually Deerfield was chosen for the abundance of deer. I’ll buy it.
Erving
Pronunciation: Ur-ving
Population in 2020: 1,665
Incorporated: 1838
Original name: unknown
John Erving, a wealthy merchant, bought the land in 1752 or ’53. The Greenfield Recorder is on the case. According to the article, Erving “served on the British Governor’s Council for 20 years.” Would that be Governor Francis Bernard? Bernard didn’t insist the town be named after some viscount he once summered with? Shocking!
Gill
Pronunciation: Gill
Population in 2020: 1,551
Incorporated: 1793
Original name: Peskeompscut
Named for Moses Gill, merchant and later Acting Governor of the new state of Massachusetts. But why? He had no connection to the town. In fact, he lived in Princeton! And he didn’t even become governor until 6 years after the town was founded. More research is needed on this one.
Greenfield
Pronunciation: You got this
Population in 2020: 17,768
Incorporated: 1753
Original name: Pocomtuc
Greenfield is the county seat and only city in the county. (Although it seems like they’ve been shy about being a city!) It split off from Deerfield and is either named for the Green River or the green fields that surround the river. Here’s a spanner in the works: When Greenfield was part of Deerfield it was known as the Green River District. What does this mean? I don’t know. I’m going with the river explanation despite the fact that a river is not, in fact, a field.
Hawley
Pronunciation: Holly? Haw-lee? Someone must know but they’re keeping it a secret.
Population in 2020: 353
Incorporated: 1793
Original name: unsure
Hawley split off from Hatfield and decided to name itself after a local Revolutionary War Hero named Joseph Hawley. Not too, local, as he was never actually in the town!
Fun fact: Hawley has the highest elevation of any town in Franklin County, at 1,752 feet above sea level
Heath
Pronunciation: Heeth
Population in 2020: 723
Incorporated: 1785
Original name: none
Heath split off from Charlemont and chose General William Heath as their namesake. Heath was a hero of the Revolution and his fellow soldier and friend Hugh Maxwell suggested the name to the other settlers.
You can see some of Heath’s writing here.
Leverett
Pronunciation: No one has ever said this name on the Internet. I’m bettng Lev-rett
Population in 2020: 1,865
Incorporated: 1774
Original name: unsure
Originally part of Sunderland. “It was named for John Leverett, an early governor of The Massachusetts Bay Colony who stood strongly against religious persecution and British rule.” So sayeth the town website.
You can take a look at Leverett’s papers here.
Leyden
Pronunciation: LAY-den
Population in 2020: 734
Incorporated: 1809
Original name: unsure
Named for the town in the Netherlands that harbored the Pilgrims before they sailed for Plymouth.
Leyden, MA was the home of the Dorrellites, a utopian community founded by William Dorrell. You can see his shoes here. (You don’t have to, but they’re there. Are they calling you?)
Monroe
Pronunciation: MON-roe
Population in 2020: 118
Incorporated: 1822
Original name: unsure
Named for President James Monroe. But don’t take my word for it.
Now I see you looking at the population and thinking, “that is surely an error. One hundred and eighteen people? Surely that is the smallest town in Massachusetts.” You are correct – sort of. Monroe is the smallest town by area, but second smallest by population. (Gosnold is the smallest in that regard.)
Montague
Pronunciation: Mon-da-gyoo
Population in 2020: 8,580
Incorporated: 1754
Original name: Peskeompskut
Montague has 5 villages: Montague Center, Montague City, Turners Falls, Millers Falls, and Lake Pleasant.
It is named for Capt. William Montague, who commanded a ship called “the Mermaid” during the Siege of Louisbourg during the French and Indian Wars.
Tiny Tim once performed there and had a heart attack onstage. That’s a not-so-fun fact.
New Salem
Pronunciation: Noo Say-lem
Population in 2020: 983
Incorporated: 1753
Original name: Unknown
New Salem was named New Salem because the folks who settled there came from Salem.
If you want, you can go see this mysterious stone structure in the woods.
Northfield
Pronunciation: North Feeld
Population in 2020: 2,866
Incorporated: 1723
Original name: Skakeat/Squakheag
The site of years of violence during the French and Indian Wars, Northfield was named for its position as the northernmost town on the Connecticut River. In fact, it is the only town in the state to be bisected by that river.
Northfield is primarily known as the home of evangelist D. L. Moody.
Orange
Pronunciation: Like the fruit
Population in 2020: 7,569
Incorporated: 1810
Original name: unknown
Orange wasn’t Orange until it was granted district status in 1783. That’s when the new district took the name of William, Duke of Orange, aka King William III of England. Why? I don’t know. William restored Anglicanism as the official religion of England. Maybe the Orange-ites were just really ardent Protestants.
The Grout Automobile Co. was in Orange. The company was founded by three brothers and made steam powered cars in the early 1900s.
Rowe
Pronunciation: Row
Population in 2020: 424
Incorporated: 1785
Original name: unknown
Rowe was settled by whites in 1744 when the MA General Court ordered the building of a string of forts in the area. The court then put some of the land up for sale in 1762. 10,000 acres were purchased by Rev. Cornelius Jones, who named his new property “Myrifield” from the Greek term for 10,000. Eventually there were enough residents to petition the court to become a town and the name Rowe was chosen “presumably after John Rowe, a noted Boston merchant.” Rowe was apparently friends with everybody and you can read excerpts of his diary here.
Shelburne
Pronunciation: Shell-burn
Population in 2020: 1,884
Incorporated: 1768
Original name: unknown
Originally settled as part of Deerfield, Shelburn was named for Richard Petty, Second Earl of Shelburne, an Irish politician who later became the English Prime Minister. Hmmm, that has Governor Bernard’s fingerprints all over it. Alas, all I have is an inkling and no actual proof.
Shelburne has glacial potholes, which are very cool.
Shutesbury
Pronunciation: Shoots-berry
Population in 2020: 1,717
Incorporated: 1761
Original name: Sanakkamak
Shutesbury is named for Samuel Shute, one-time British Governor of Massachusetts and possessor of quite the head of hair.
It sounds like nobody in the colonies liked Shute so I don’t know why they named a town after him, some 20 years after his death. Another bit of Bernard involvement?
Sunderland
Pronunciation: Sunder-land
Population in 2020: 3,663
Incorporated: 1718
Original name: Squakeake?
Once named Swampfield, which is a fine name. Attempting to attract more settlers the residents changed the name name to honor Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland and former PM of England. That’s quite the glow-up. (Spencer is an ancestor of Princess Diana and, as follows, Princes Harry and William.)
These hearty pioneers sure liked their former Prime Ministers, eh?
Warwick
Pronunciation: War-wik
Population in 2020: 780
Incorporated: 1763
Original name: Shaomet
Warwick was started as a form of compensation for soldiers who had participated in an ill-fated incursion into Canada and their families. No less a resources than the USGS says it was named for the Earl of Warwick. They also say, however, that said Earl’s dates were (1634-1769) and I cannot find an Earl who lines up with that timeline. I’m this close to breaking this whole thing wide open, I can feel it. Let me get out my corkboard and red string.
Warwick was once the home of the Brotherhood of the Spirit Commune, which was led by someone with the remarkable name of Michael Metelica Rapunzel.
Wendell
Pronunciation: Wen-duhl
Population in 2020: 924
Incorporated: 1781
Original name: unknown
Wendell is named for Judge Oliver Wendell, who is nearly impossible to search for on this broken internet because of his famous descendent Oliver Wendell Holmes. Maybe he owned some land out there in the hill county or something? We’ll never know,
Whatley
Pronunciation: Wat-lee
Population in 2020: 1,607
Incorporated: 1771
Original name: Wekwannuk?
Whatley was named for Thomas Whatley, a British politician who helped draft the Stamp Act and whose letters to Gov. Hutchison sparked an uproar when they were leaked to Benjamin Franklin. Whatley’s brother George even fought a duel back in England over the affair. I’m surprised Whatley didn’t make like Windsor (formerly Gageborough) and change names.
Ok, well, that was Franklin County. Full of beauty, mystery, intrigue and fancy British men. Next up: Hampden County. OMG, are we still only in the H’s?
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