Egremont, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Egremont is a town
in Berkshire County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. It is part of the Pittsfield
, Massachusetts
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,225 at the 2010 census. Egremont consists of two villages, North Egremont and South Egremont.
or for the first Earl of Egremont
, whose title was created shortly after the settlement of the town. Egremont has spent much of its time as an agricultural town, with only a small milling area around South Egremont.
Around New Year's Day
, 1776, General Henry Knox
passed through the town with cannons from Fort Ticonderoga
, which he was bringing to help end the Siege of Boston
. Today, the path is known as the Knox Trail, and a historical marker is located in the village of North Egremont.
, the town has a total area of 19 square miles (49.2 km²), of which, 18.8 square miles (48.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.63%) is water. Egremont lies along the western border of Berkshire County and Massachusetts, with Columbia County
, New York
to the west. The town is bordered by Alford
to the north, Great Barrington
to the east, Sheffield
to the southeast, Mount Washington
to the southwest, and Copake
and Hillsdale
, New York
to the west. Egremont is 23 miles south-southwest of Pittsfield
, 50 miles west of Springfield
, and 140 miles west of Boston.
Egremont is situated in a valley east of the Taconic Range. To the southwest, Mount Whitlock divides the town from Mount Washington, and to the west, Mount Fray and several other mountains divide the town from New York proper. Mount Fray is also the site of the Catamount Ski Area
, which extends into Hillsdale. Mount Whitlock and its neighbor, the Jug End, make up the Jug End State Reservation and Wildlife Management Area. The Appalachian Trail
extends through the reservation, before turning east at the Jug End towards Great Barrington. The town lies along the Green River, a tributary of the Housatonic River
. Several brooks also flow through the town, with one being dammed to form the Mill Pond in South Egremont.
In South Egremont, Route 23 and Route 41 meet just northeast of the Mill Pond, traveling together into Great Barrington. The western end of Route 23 is at the state border within town, where it becomes New York State Route 23
. Route 71, which carries part of the Knox Trail, also passes through the town, from Alford to the north to Great Barrington to the east. The highway does not meet the other two, however, until well into Great Barrington. The nearest interstate, Interstate 90
(the Massachusetts Turnpike
), is located north of town, with the nearest exit, the "turn-around" Exit 1, being 12 miles to the north. There is no rail, bus or air service in town, with the nearest for all three being in Great Barrington. The nearest national air service can be found at Bradley International Airport
in Windsor Locks
, Connecticut
.
of 2000, there were 1,345 people, 609 households, and 408 families residing in the town. By population, Egremont ranks twentieth out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 315th out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density
was 71.4 people per square mile (27.6/km²), which ranks 16th in the county and 301st in the Commonwealth. There were 866 housing units at an average density of 46.0 per square mile (17.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.36% White, 0.07% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.30% from other races
, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.04% of the population.
There were 609 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.67.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 34.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $60,104. Males had a median income of $40,885 versus $31,875 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $41,702. About 4.3% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen
and an administrative assistant
. Egremont has its own police, fire and public works departments, and its post office also serves neighboring Mount Washington. The town's library, located in South Egremont, is connected to the regional library networks.
On the state level, Egremont 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. The town is patrolled by the First (Lee) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police
.
On the national level, Egremont 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.
The nearest community college
is the South County Center of Berkshire Community College
in Great Barrington. The nearest state university is Westfield State University. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington.
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 1,225 at the 2010 census. Egremont consists of two villages, North Egremont and South Egremont.
History
Egremont was first settled by Dutch settlers from New York in 1722. English settlers arrived in 1725-6, and the town was officially incorporated by Massachusetts in 1761. It is unclear whether the town is named for the English townEgremont, Cumbria
Egremont is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria, England, south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town, which lies at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, was historically within Cumberland and has a long industrial heritage including dyeing, weaving and...
or for the first Earl of Egremont
Earl of Egremont
Earls of Egremont was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1749, along with the subsidiary title of Baron Cockermouth, for Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset, with remainder to his nephews Sir Charles Wyndham, 4th Baronet, of Orchard Wyndham, and Percy Wyndham-O’Brien...
, whose title was created shortly after the settlement of the town. Egremont has spent much of its time as an agricultural town, with only a small milling area around South Egremont.
Around New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
, 1776, General Henry Knox
Henry Knox
Henry Knox was a military officer of the Continental Army and later the United States Army, and also served as the first United States Secretary of War....
passed through the town with cannons from Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
, which he was bringing to help end the Siege of Boston
Siege of Boston
The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, in which New England militiamen—who later became part of the Continental Army—surrounded the town of Boston, Massachusetts, to prevent movement by the British Army garrisoned within...
. Today, the path is known as the Knox Trail, and a historical marker is located in the village of North Egremont.
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 19 square miles (49.2 km²), of which, 18.8 square miles (48.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.63%) is water. Egremont lies along the western border of Berkshire County and Massachusetts, with Columbia County
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to the west. The town is bordered by Alford
Alford, Massachusetts
Alford is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 494 at the 2010 census.- History :...
to the north, Great Barrington
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...
to the east, Sheffield
Sheffield, Massachusetts
Not to be confused with the city of Sheffield in the UK, or Sheffield, Vermont.Sheffield is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,257 at the 2010 census. Sheffield is home to...
to the southeast, Mount Washington
Mount Washington, Massachusetts
Mount Washington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 130 at the 2000 census, making it the smallest town in Berkshire County and, after Gosnold and Monroe, the third smallest in...
to the southwest, and Copake
Copake, New York
Copake is a town in Columbia County, United States. New York, United States. The population was 3,278 at the 2000 census. The town derives its name from a lake, which was known to the natives as Cook-pake, or Ack-kook-peek, meaning "Snake Pond." The town borders Taconic State Park.The Town of...
and Hillsdale
Hillsdale, New York
Hillsdale is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,744 at the 2000 census.- History :The region was taken from the Town of Claverack in 1782. The Town of Hillsdale was established in 1788....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to the west. Egremont is 23 miles south-southwest 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...
, 50 miles west 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 140 miles west of Boston.
Egremont is situated in a valley east of the Taconic Range. To the southwest, Mount Whitlock divides the town from Mount Washington, and to the west, Mount Fray and several other mountains divide the town from New York proper. Mount Fray is also the site of the Catamount Ski Area
Catamount Ski Area
Catamount Ski Area is a ski resort located on Mount Fray of the Taconic Mountains in Hillsdale, New York and South Egremont, Massachusetts. It is one of the few remaining family-owned ski areas in New England.-History:...
, which extends into Hillsdale. Mount Whitlock and its neighbor, the Jug End, make up the Jug End State Reservation and Wildlife Management Area. 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...
extends through the reservation, before turning east at the Jug End towards Great Barrington. The town lies along the Green River, a tributary of the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
. Several brooks also flow through the town, with one being dammed to form the Mill Pond in South Egremont.
In South Egremont, Route 23 and Route 41 meet just northeast of the Mill Pond, traveling together into Great Barrington. The western end of Route 23 is at the state border within town, where it becomes New York State Route 23
New York State Route 23
New York State Route 23 is an east–west state highway in the eastern portion New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 26 in the Central New York town of Cincinnatus to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains, where it continues east as...
. Route 71, which carries part of the Knox Trail, also passes through the town, from Alford to the north to Great Barrington to the east. The highway does not meet the other two, however, until well into Great Barrington. The nearest interstate, Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
(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...
), is located north of town, with the nearest exit, the "turn-around" Exit 1, being 12 miles to the north. There is no rail, bus or air service in town, with the nearest for all three being in Great Barrington. The nearest national air service can be found 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 1,345 people, 609 households, and 408 families residing in the town. By population, Egremont ranks twentieth out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 315th 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 71.4 people per square mile (27.6/km²), which ranks 16th in the county and 301st in the Commonwealth. There were 866 housing units at an average density of 46.0 per square mile (17.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.36% White, 0.07% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.30% 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 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.04% of the population.
There were 609 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% 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, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.67.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 34.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $60,104. Males had a median income of $40,885 versus $31,875 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 $41,702. About 4.3% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Egremont 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 an administrative assistant
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Assistant is a broad job category that designates an individual who provides various kinds of administrative support to people and groups in business enterprises.-Kinds of Administrative Assistants:...
. Egremont has its own police, fire and public works departments, and its post office also serves neighboring Mount Washington. The town's library, located in South Egremont, is connected to the regional library networks.
On the state level, Egremont 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 Fourth Berkshire district, which covers southern Berkshire County, as well as the westernmost towns in Hampden 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 Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which 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, Egremont 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.
Education
Egremont is one of five towns that operate the Southern Berkshire Regional School District (neighboring Mount Washington also sends students to the district's schools). Students in Egremont and Mount Washington attend the Egremont School for kindergarten and first grades, with second through sixth grades attending the Undermountain Elementary School in Sheffield, and Mount Everett Regional School in Sheffield for grades 7-12. There are private schools in Great Barrington and other nearby towns.The nearest community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
is the South County Center of 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 Great Barrington. The nearest state university is Westfield State University. The nearest private college is Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington.