Pelham, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Pelham is a town
in Hampshire County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 1,403 at the 2000 census. It shares the same zip code as Amherst
.
Pelham is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
at the time of the town's incorporation, and his father, Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham
had been prime minister prior to his term. The town is most well known as being home to Daniel Shays
, leader of Shays' Rebellion
, an uprising to stop declining economic conditions in Massachusetts
from 1786 to 1787. The rebellion, planned in Conkey's Tavern in town, spread across central Massachusetts, and met its practical end when most of the rebels were caught in nearby Petersham
. Pelham also holds the distinction of having the oldest town hall
in continuous use in the United States. A town meeting
is held there for that primary purpose each year.
Pelham's geography has changed twice throughout its history. Originally a much larger town, rectangular in shape (except for a small extension southward taking up part of the modern area of Knight's Corner) and extending eastward to the top of Prescott Hill (where Daniel Shays once lived), the land east of the West Branch of the Swift River was annexed by the town of Prescott
in the latter half of the nineteenth centuries (maps made in 1855 and 1862 both show this land still belonging to Pelham). The landscape would change once again, however, when the Quabbin Reservoir
was formed along the branches of the Swift River. The reservoir filled along the river, and protected lands along its edge became part of the Quabbin Reservation. It was at this time as well that the towns of the valley were disincorporated, and a portion of Enfield
which now constitutes the town's southeast corner (roughly east of Caldwell Brook and Knight's Corner) was given to the town. Because the reservoir divided the town from its old lands in Prescott, however, that portion of land was not returned to the town, but given to New Salem instead.
, the town has a total area of 26.5 square miles (68.6 km²), of which, 25.1 square miles (65 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it (5.40%) is water.The town lies along the western edge of the Quabbin Reservoir, its town line following the former path of the West Branch of the Swift River, which once flowed through the town. The town lies along the hills which divide the Pioneer Valley
along the Connecticut River
to the west from the Quabbin Valley
to the east. The brooks in town also flow in both these directions; those in the eastern third of town drain towards the Quabbin, with the western brooks draining towards the Connecticut. Though the town is fairly forested, none of the town except Quabbin lands is protected.
Pelham is the northeastern-most town in Hampshire County, bordering Franklin County
to the north and east. (Prior to the formation of the Quabbin Reservoir, the town of Prescott was the northeast corner of the county, but its lands were absorbed by New Salem.) Pelham is bordered by Shutesbury
to the north, New Salem
to the east, Belchertown
to the south and Amherst
to the west. (Because of the reservoir, there is no direct connection between Pelham and New Salem.) The historical center of town is located 14 miles (22.5 km) east of the county seat of Northampton
, 25 miles (40.2 km) north-northeast of Springfield
, 45 miles (72.4 km) northwest of Worcester
, and 84 miles (135.2 km) west of Boston
(though the latter two distances are hampered by not having direct routes across the Quabbin).
Pelham lies along U.S. Route 202
, which was rerouted due to the Quabbin Reservoir project along the Daniel Shays Highway through town. Other than a small portion of Route 9 which clips the town's southwest corner, Route 202 is the only highway through town. The town is roughly equidistant from Interstate 90
, Interstate 91
and Route 2 to the south, west, and north, respectively. Other than the Belchertown Shuttle and Belchertown/UMass
lines of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus service that pass along Route 9, there is no bus service to town. The nearest rail service is the Amtrak
Vermonter
service along the New England Central Railroad
lines in Amherst. Several general aviation airports are located in nearby towns, but the nearest national air service can be reached at Bradley International Airport
in Connecticut.
was 56.0 people per square mile (21.6/km²). There were 556 housing units at an average density of 22.2 per square mile (8.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.08% White, 1.43% African American, 1.07% Asian, 0.64% from other races
, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.85% of the population.
There were 545 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $61,339, and the median income for a family was $71,667. Males had a median income of $50,435 versus $33,500 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $29,821. About 2.6% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.
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 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...
, 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...
. The population was 1,403 at the 2000 census. It shares the same zip code as 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...
.
Pelham is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts
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...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan area
The Springfield Metropolitan Area is a region that is socio-economically and culturally tied to the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the Springfield metropolitan statistical area as consisting of three counties in Western Massachusetts. As of...
.
History
Pelham was first settled in 1738 by mostly Presbyterian Scotch-Irish immigrants and was officially incorporated in 1743. The town is named for the Pelham family; Henry PelhamHenry Pelham
Henry Pelham was a British Whig statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 27 August 1743 until his death in 1754...
was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
at the time of the town's incorporation, and his father, Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham
Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham
Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton Bt was a moderate English Whig politician and Member of Parliament for several constituencies. He is best remembered as father of two British prime ministers who, between them, served for 18 years as first minister...
had been prime minister prior to his term. The town is most well known as being home to Daniel Shays
Daniel Shays
Daniel Shays was an American soldier, revolutionary, and farmer famous for leading the Shays' Rebellion.-Early life:...
, leader of Shays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in central and western Massachusetts from 1786 to 1787. The rebellion is named after Daniel Shays, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War....
, an uprising to stop declining economic conditions in 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...
from 1786 to 1787. The rebellion, planned in Conkey's Tavern in town, spread across central Massachusetts, and met its practical end when most of the rebels were caught in nearby Petersham
Petersham, Massachusetts
Petersham is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,234 at the 2010 census. Petersham is home to a considerable amount of conservation land, including the Quabbin Reservation, Harvard Forest, the Swift River Reservation, and Federated Women's Club State...
. Pelham also holds the distinction of having the oldest town hall
Pelham Town Hall Historic District
Pelham Town Hall Historic District is a historic district on Amherst Road at the corner of Daniel Shays Highway in Pelham, Massachusetts.Old Pelham Town hall was built in 1743 and is the oldest continuously used town hall in the United States. The area was added to the National Register of Historic...
in continuous use in the United States. A town meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
is held there for that primary purpose each year.
Pelham's geography has changed twice throughout its history. Originally a much larger town, rectangular in shape (except for a small extension southward taking up part of the modern area of Knight's Corner) and extending eastward to the top of Prescott Hill (where Daniel Shays once lived), the land east of the West Branch of the Swift River was annexed by the town of Prescott
Prescott
Prescott is of English origin; habitational name from any of the places so called, in southwestern Lancashire , Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, and Devon, all of which are named from Old English preost ‘priest’ + cot ‘cottage’, ‘dwelling’...
in the latter half of the nineteenth centuries (maps made in 1855 and 1862 both show this land still belonging to Pelham). The landscape would change once again, however, when the Quabbin Reservoir
Quabbin Reservoir
The Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was built between 1930 and 1939. Today along with the Wachusett Reservoir, it is the primary water supply for Boston, some to the east, as well as 40 other communities in Greater Boston...
was formed along the branches of the Swift River. The reservoir filled along the river, and protected lands along its edge became part of the Quabbin Reservation. It was at this time as well that the towns of the valley were disincorporated, and a portion of Enfield
Enfield, Massachusetts
Enfield was formerly a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, incorporated in 1816 from portions of Greenwich and Belchertown. It was named in honor of one of its early settlers, Robert Field...
which now constitutes the town's southeast corner (roughly east of Caldwell Brook and Knight's Corner) was given to the town. Because the reservoir divided the town from its old lands in Prescott, however, that portion of land was not returned to the town, but given to New Salem instead.
Geography and Transportation
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 26.5 square miles (68.6 km²), of which, 25.1 square miles (65 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it (5.40%) is water.The town lies along the western edge of the Quabbin Reservoir, its town line following the former path of the West Branch of the Swift River, which once flowed through the town. The town lies along the hills which divide the Pioneer Valley
Pioneer Valley
The Pioneer Valley is the colloquial name for the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts's portion of the Connecticut River Valley. The Pioneer Valley consists of three counties in Massachusetts which collectively feature much of New England's most fertile farmland...
along the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
to the west from the Quabbin Valley
Quabbin Valley
The Quabbin Valley is a region of Massachusetts, United States. The region consists of areas drained by the Quabbin Reservoir and accompanying river systems in Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties. The area is sometimes known as the Swift River Valley region, a reference to the...
to the east. The brooks in town also flow in both these directions; those in the eastern third of town drain towards the Quabbin, with the western brooks draining towards the Connecticut. Though the town is fairly forested, none of the town except Quabbin lands is protected.
Pelham is the northeastern-most town in Hampshire County, bordering Franklin County
Franklin County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
to the north and east. (Prior to the formation of the Quabbin Reservoir, the town of Prescott was the northeast corner of the county, but its lands were absorbed by New Salem.) Pelham is bordered by Shutesbury
Shutesbury, Massachusetts
Shutesbury is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,810 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
to the north, New Salem
New Salem, Massachusetts
New Salem is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 990 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
to the east, Belchertown
Belchertown, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,968 people, 4,886 households, and 3,517 families residing in the town. The population density was 245.9 people per square mile . There were 5,050 housing units at an average density of 95.8 per square mile...
to the south and 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...
to the west. (Because of the reservoir, there is no direct connection between Pelham and New Salem.) The historical center of town is located 14 miles (22.5 km) east of the county seat of Northampton
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
, 25 miles (40.2 km) north-northeast 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...
, 45 miles (72.4 km) northwest of Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, and 84 miles (135.2 km) west of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
(though the latter two distances are hampered by not having direct routes across the Quabbin).
Pelham lies along U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
, which was rerouted due to the Quabbin Reservoir project along the Daniel Shays Highway through town. Other than a small portion of Route 9 which clips the town's southwest corner, Route 202 is the only highway through town. The town is roughly equidistant from Interstate 90
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...
, Interstate 91
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
and Route 2 to the south, west, and north, respectively. Other than the Belchertown Shuttle and Belchertown/UMass
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...
lines of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus service that pass along Route 9, there is no bus service to town. The nearest rail service is the Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Vermonter
Vermonter
Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
service along the New England Central Railroad
New England Central Railroad
The New England Central Railroad is a subsidiary of RailAmerica that began operations in 1995. It runs from New London, Connecticut, to Alburgh, Vermont, a distance of .-History:...
lines in Amherst. Several general aviation airports are located in nearby towns, but the nearest national air service can be reached 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 Connecticut.
Demographics
As of 2000, the US census records there were 1,403 people, 545 households, and 382 families residing in the town. The population densityPopulation 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 56.0 people per square mile (21.6/km²). There were 556 housing units at an average density of 22.2 per square mile (8.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.08% White, 1.43% African American, 1.07% Asian, 0.64% 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 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.85% of the population.
There were 545 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% 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, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $61,339, and the median income for a family was $71,667. Males had a median income of $50,435 versus $33,500 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 $29,821. About 2.6% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.