Becket, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Becket is a town
in Berkshire County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. It is part of the Pittsfield
, Massachusetts
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,779 at the 2010 census.
The original "Beckett
" for which the town of Becket was named, is an estate or "tithing" which once belonged to the Admiral Lord Barrington
(as in "Great Barrington, MA
). It is located in Shrivenham
, formerly in Berkshire
, England, about five miles east of the important railroad town of Swindon
.
Sir Francis Bernard, the Royal Governor of Massachusetts in 1765, was a close friend of Lord Barrington and was himself a native of Berkshire, England. It is said that he enjoyed many a happy restful holiday in the beautiful surroundings of Beckett, and that these pleasant memories influenced him in 1765 to give the name Becket to Township Number Four when he approved its incorporation.
In 1811, 16 men from Becket traveled to the Western Reserve and founded the village of Windham, Ohio
.
The early town was the site of an experiment in the late eighteenth century involving the local church. Seeing the problems involved with communities who supported congregational churches, the town established its own church society, where local citizens supported the church without any tax monies. It was one of the first frontier communities to employ this model of supporting churches.
From its earliest days, Becket was involved in the woodland industries of lumber and quarries. As time went on, dairy production, basketry and silk also were products of the town. After a flood in the early twentieth century, most of the industries died out, and today Becket is mostly known as a resort town with an artists' community surrounding the Jacob's Pillow Company.
, the town has a total area of 47.8 square miles (123.8 km²), of which 46.3 square miles (119.9 km²) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) (3.12%) is water. Becket is located on the eastern border of Berkshire County, at the junction of Hampshire County
and Hampden County
. Becket is bordered by Washington
to the northwest, Middlefield
to the northeast, Chester
and Blandford
to the east, Otis
to the south, and Tyringham
and Lee
to the west. Becket is 17 miles southeast of Pittsfield
, 32 miles northwest of Springfield
, and 118 miles west of Boston.
Becket is located in the southern Berkshire Mountains, and is dotted with hills on the interior, and surrounded on two sides by Becket Mountain and Walking Mountain to the west, and Mount Gobble to the east. The west branch of the Westfield River
flows along much of the Middlefield town line, flowing eastward towards Chester. Several marshy brooks flow through the town, and there are several ponds, lakes and the Palmer Brook Reservoir. Along the river, a small portion of the Walnut Hill Wildlife Management Area lies within the town, and to the west, the southeastern corner of October Mountain State Forest. The Appalachian Trail
passes through the western part of town, circumventing the town of Lee while heading from Tyringham to Washington over Becket Mountain.
Interstate 90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike
, passes through town, with the nearest exit (Exit 2) being in neighboring Lee. The town also lies along U.S. Route 20
, which is the main east-west route through the town. Route 8 runs concurrently with U.S. 20 for five miles starting at the center of town, with the majority of the town's population residing around Robin Hood Lake south of this stretch. A portion of the CSX
rail line passes along the river valley, providing access between Pittsfield and Springfield. The nearest rail, bus and regional air service can be found in Pittsfield, with the nearest national air service coming from Bradley International Airport
in Windsor Locks
, Connecticut
.
of 2000, there were 1,755 people, 692 households, and 505 families residing in the town. In terms of population, Becket ranks fourteenth out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 297th out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density
was 37.9 people per square mile (14.6/km²), ranking it 19th in the county and 322nd in the Commonwealth. There were 1,451 housing units at an average density of 31.4 per square mile (12.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.44% White, 0.68% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.11% from other races
, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.
There were 692 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were married couples
living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,806, and the median income for a family was $53,417. Males had a median income of $40,774 versus $30,300 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,861. About 3.2% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen
and administrative assistant. The town has a police station near the geographic center of town (the area known as Becket Center), and a post office also in Becket Center (the post office was moved from North Becket to Becket Center in the early 2000s). There are two fire stations, one in North Becket and the other located near the Sherwood Forest
housing community (along Routes 8 & 20). The nearest hospital, Berkshire Medical Center, is located in Pittsfield.
On the state level, Becket is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
as part of the Second Berkshire district, which covers central Berkshire County and is represented by Paul Mark. In the Massachusetts Senate
, the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which is represented by Ben Downing and includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin Counties. The town is patrolled by the First (Lee) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police
.
On the national level, Becket 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 John Kerry
and junior senator Scott Brown
.
, the largest district (by land area) in the Commonwealth. Students in Becket attend the Becket-Washington Elementary School in town for elementary school. 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. Also, there are a great number of Becket students that travel to Lee for education and attend Lee Elememtary School for grades K-6 and Lee Middle and High School. There are no private schools in Becket, the nearest being in Lee and the Pittsfield area.
The nearest community college is Berkshire Community College
in Pittsfield. The nearest state college is Westfield State College
in Westfield, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst
. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington, with other private colleges in Springfield.
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 1,779 at the 2010 census.
History
Becket was first settled in 1740 and was officially incorporated in 1765.The original "Beckett
Beckett Hall
Beckett Hall is a country house at Shrivenham in the English county of Oxfordshire . The present house dates from 1831.-History:...
" for which the town of Becket was named, is an estate or "tithing" which once belonged to the Admiral Lord Barrington
William Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington
William Wildman Shute Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington PC was a British politician best known for his two periods as Secretary at War during Britain's involvement in the Seven Years War and American War of Independence....
(as in "Great Barrington, MA
Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Great Barrington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,104 at the 2010 census. Both a summer resort and home to Ski Butternut, Great Barrington includes the villages of Van...
). It is located in Shrivenham
Shrivenham
Shrivenham is a large village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, close to the boundary with Wiltshire. It is in the Vale of White Horse, between Swindon and Faringdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Character:Shrivenham features many...
, formerly in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, England, about five miles east of the important railroad town of Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
.
Sir Francis Bernard, the Royal Governor of Massachusetts in 1765, was a close friend of Lord Barrington and was himself a native of Berkshire, England. It is said that he enjoyed many a happy restful holiday in the beautiful surroundings of Beckett, and that these pleasant memories influenced him in 1765 to give the name Becket to Township Number Four when he approved its incorporation.
In 1811, 16 men from Becket traveled to the Western Reserve and founded the village of Windham, Ohio
Windham, Ohio
Windham is a village located in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is formed from portions of Windham Township, one of the original townships of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 2,209 at the 2010 census. In 1942, the US government chose Windham as the site of an army camp...
.
The early town was the site of an experiment in the late eighteenth century involving the local church. Seeing the problems involved with communities who supported congregational churches, the town established its own church society, where local citizens supported the church without any tax monies. It was one of the first frontier communities to employ this model of supporting churches.
From its earliest days, Becket was involved in the woodland industries of lumber and quarries. As time went on, dairy production, basketry and silk also were products of the town. After a flood in the early twentieth century, most of the industries died out, and today Becket is mostly known as a resort town with an artists' community surrounding the Jacob's Pillow Company.
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 47.8 square miles (123.8 km²), of which 46.3 square miles (119.9 km²) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) (3.12%) is water. Becket is located on the eastern border of Berkshire County, at the junction 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 Hampden County
Hampden County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 461,228 people, 175,288 households, and 115,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 738 people per square mile . There were 185,876 housing units at an average density of 301 per square mile...
. Becket is bordered by 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 northwest, Middlefield
Middlefield, Massachusetts
Middlefield is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 542 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
to the northeast, Chester
Chester, Massachusetts
Chester is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, situated in the western part of the state. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan statistical area. The town includes the Chester Factory Village Historic District. The total population was 1,337 in the 2010...
and Blandford
Blandford, Massachusetts
Blandford is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the home of the Blandford Ski Area.- History :...
to the east, Otis
Otis, Massachusetts
Otis is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,365 at the 2000 census....
to the south, and Tyringham
Tyringham, Massachusetts
Tyringham is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 327 at the 2010 census.- History :...
and Lee
Lee, Massachusetts
Lee is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, metropolitan statistical area. The population was 5,943 which was determined in the 2010 census. Lee, which includes the villages of South and East Lee, is part of the Berkshires resort...
to the west. Becket is 17 miles southeast 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...
, 32 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 118 miles west of Boston.
Becket is located in the southern Berkshire Mountains, and is dotted with hills on the interior, and surrounded on two sides by Becket Mountain and Walking Mountain to the west, and Mount Gobble to the east. The west branch of the Westfield River
Westfield River
The Westfield River in Metropolitan Springfield, Massachusetts, is a major tributary of the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts. The Westfield River has four major tributary branches that confluence in the City of Westfield, for which the river is named...
flows along much of the Middlefield town line, flowing eastward towards Chester. Several marshy brooks flow through the town, and there are several ponds, lakes and the Palmer Brook Reservoir. Along the river, a small portion of the Walnut Hill Wildlife Management Area lies within the town, and to the west, the southeastern corner of October Mountain State Forest. 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...
passes through the western part of town, circumventing the town of Lee while heading from Tyringham to Washington over Becket Mountain.
Interstate 90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
, passes through town, with the nearest exit (Exit 2) being in neighboring Lee. The town also lies along U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts
The cross-country U.S. Route 20 runs its easternmost in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The highway crosses the state border from New Lebanon, New York into Hancock, Massachusetts, and runs eastward into Boston, where it ends at Route 2 in Kenmore Square...
, which is the main east-west route through the town. Route 8 runs concurrently with U.S. 20 for five miles starting at the center of town, with the majority of the town's population residing around Robin Hood Lake south of this stretch. A portion of the CSX
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 passes along the river valley, providing access between Pittsfield and Springfield. The nearest rail, bus and regional air service can be found in Pittsfield, with the nearest national air service coming from 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 1,755 people, 692 households, and 505 families residing in the town. In terms of population, Becket ranks fourteenth out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 297th out 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 37.9 people per square mile (14.6/km²), ranking it 19th in the county and 322nd in the Commonwealth. There were 1,451 housing units at an average density of 31.4 per square mile (12.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.44% White, 0.68% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.11% 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 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.
There were 692 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% 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, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,806, and the median income for a family was $53,417. Males had a median income of $40,774 versus $30,300 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 $21,861. About 3.2% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Becket 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:...
and administrative assistant. The town has a police station near the geographic center of town (the area known as Becket Center), and a post office also in Becket Center (the post office was moved from North Becket to Becket Center in the early 2000s). There are two fire stations, one in North Becket and the other located near the Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest, Massachusetts
Sherwood Forest is an area within the town of Becket, Massachusetts, established in 1982 with the approval of the Massachusetts State Senate and signed into existence by Governor of Massachusetts Edward J...
housing community (along Routes 8 & 20). The nearest hospital, Berkshire Medical Center, is located in Pittsfield.
On the state level, Becket 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 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 is represented by Ben Downing and includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin Counties. The town is patrolled by the First (Lee) 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, Becket 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...
. 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 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
Becket 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 Becket attend the Becket-Washington Elementary School in town for elementary school. 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. Also, there are a great number of Becket students that travel to Lee for education and attend Lee Elememtary School for grades K-6 and Lee Middle and High School. There are no private schools in Becket, the nearest being in Lee and 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 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...
in Westfield, 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 college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington, with other private colleges in Springfield.
Points of interest
- Jacob's PillowJacob's PillowJacob’s Pillow Dance is a dance center, school and performance space located in Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. The organization is known for the oldest internationally acclaimed summer dance festival in the United States. The facility also includes a professional school and extensive...
Dance Festival - The Kushi Institute (http://www.kushiinstitute.org) world renowned center for macrobiotics
- Becket Arts Center http://www.becketartscenter.org/
- Founded by pianist Emanuel LevensonEmanuel LevensonEmanuel Levenson was an American classical musician most active from the early 1950s through the early 1970s. Best known at the time as an opera director, he also taught piano and voice, performed as a concert pianist, and founded several arts organizations which survive to this day.A graduate of...
and painter Fay KleinmanFay KleinmanFay Kleinman is an American painter. She has also been known by her married names, Fay Skurnick, then Fay Levenson.Most of her work is oil on canvas, but she has done some mixed-media work and watercolor. She has exhibited in museums in New York and Massachusetts and in galleries throughout the...
, known also as Fay Levenson. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/faykleinman/paintings.html&date=2009-10-25+22:05:22- Becket Athenaeum (http://www.bcn.net/~becket/)
- Becket Chimney Corners YMCA (http://www.bccymca.org)
- Camp GreylockCamp GreylockCamp Greylock is a boys' summer camp located in Becket, Massachusetts. The land was purchased in the fall of 1915, and the opening summer was 1916. The founders were three brothers, George, Gabriel , and Lou Mason...
- Camp Watitoh (http://www.campwatitoh.com/)
- Canterbury Ski Farm.
- The highest point on Interstate 90 east of South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
is in Becket, where a sign notes this fact and places its elevation at 1,724 feet (526 m) above sea level.
Notable residents
- Dr. Oliver Wadsworth Brewster, served in Col. John Brown's regiment in the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and was the first physicianPhysicianA physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
in Becket. His home, built in 1786, is still standing and is currently occupied by the Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA. He was a grandson of Oliver Brewster and Martha Wadsworth BrewsterMartha Wadsworth BrewsterMartha Wadsworth Brewster was an 18th-century American poet and writer. She is one of only four colonial women who published volumes of their verse before the American Revolution and was the first American-born woman to publish under her own name.-Early life:She was born on April 1, 1710 in...
, a poet and writer, one of the earliest American female literary figures. - Hannah Tracy CutlerHannah Tracy CutlerHannah Maria Conant Tracy Cutler was an abolitionist as well as a leader of the temperance and women's suffrage movements in the United States. Cutler served as president of the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association...
, abolitionist and women's rights advocate - Joseph Plumb MartinJoseph Plumb MartinJoseph Plumb Martin was an American Revolutionary War soldier who published an account of his experiences as a soldier in the 8th Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Army in 1830.-Life:...
, a Soldier in the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
was born in Becket in 1760. He lived there until the age of seven, when he was sent to live with his grandparents in Milford, CT. - Sylvester Smith, early Mormon leader
- MichioMichio KushiMichio Kushi born 1926 in Japan, helped to introduce modern macrobiotics to the United States in the early 1950s. He has lectured about philosophy, spiritual development, health, food and diseases at conferences and seminars all over the world.-Background:After World War II, Kushi studied with...
and Aveline Kushi (http://www.michiokushi.org), leaders of the worldwide macrobiotic movement - Eliza R. Snow, early Mormon historian, poetess, and women's leader.
- Fay KleinmanFay KleinmanFay Kleinman is an American painter. She has also been known by her married names, Fay Skurnick, then Fay Levenson.Most of her work is oil on canvas, but she has done some mixed-media work and watercolor. She has exhibited in museums in New York and Massachusetts and in galleries throughout the...
, painter and co-founder of the Becket Arts Center. - Bishop PerkinsBishop PerkinsBishop Perkins was a United States Representative from New York....
, politiician, Democratic congressman from New York - Jacob AppelJacob M. AppelJacob M. Appel is an American author, bioethicist and social critic. He is best known for his short stories, his work as a playwright, and his writing in the fields of reproductive ethics, organ donation, neuroethics and euthanasia....
, writer on bio-ethics - Peg LynchPeg LynchMargaret Frances “Peg” Lynch, born November 25, 1916, in Lincoln, Nebraska, is the creator of the radio and television program Ethel and Albert.- Early life :...
, radio personality ("Ethel and Albert")