Plainfield, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Plainfield is a town
on the northwestern edge of Hampshire County, Massachusetts
, United States, about 25 miles east of Pittsfield
and 30 miles northwest of Northampton
. The population was 589 at the 2000 census
. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
, and was officially incorporated as a district within the Town of Cummington
in 1785, and as a town on June 15, 1807.
In the 1800s, Plainfield was a thriving agricultural community, primarily producing sheep and leather
for tanning. With the widespread adoption of the steamship, and the resultant globalization
in the 1870s, the expense of importing both mutton
and leather
from Australia and New Zealand was greatly reduced. Consequently, the agricultural industries in Plainfield became less profitable, and the Population declined substantially over the following decades.
Sixty-one men from Plainfield joined the Union Army
late in the American Civil War
. Six were killed in battle, or died in consequence of their service. Of those who survived, many settled elsewhere after the war.
After almost two centuries of depopulation, modern Plainfield is experiencing increased population growth (as of 2010).
where Hampshire County merges into neighboring Franklin
and Berkshire
Counties. Plainfield is part of the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts
.
Plainfield sits 1620' above sea level, and the peaks of West Mountain (at 2125') are the highest elevation in Hampshire County.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 21.3 square miles (55.2 km²), of which 21 square miles (54.4 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (0.99%) is water.
Plainfield's waterways serve as the headwaters of the Westfield
and Deerfield rivers.
Plainfield is bordered by the towns of Cummington
, Ashfield
, Hawley
, Savoy
, and Windsor
.
of 2000, there were 589 people, 243 households, and 166 families residing in the town. The population density
was 28.0 people per square mile (10.8/km²). There were 311 housing units at an average density of 14.8 per square mile (5.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.13% White, 0.34% Native American, 0.17% Asian, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 243 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,250, and the median income for a family was $46,042. Males had a median income of $31,625 versus $26,875 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,785. About 4.8% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
open to all registered voters in the town. Ongoing town matters are managed by an elected Board of Selectmen
and other Boards and Commissions. The town is part of the Second Berkshire District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, represented by Paul Mark, and the Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampshire Senate district, represented by Ben Downing.
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...
on the northwestern edge of Hampshire County, Massachusetts
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...
, United States, about 25 miles east 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...
and 30 miles northwest 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...
. The population was 589 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. It 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
Plainfield was first settled in 1770, primarily by settlers from the town of BridgewaterBridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
, and was officially incorporated as a district within the Town of Cummington
Cummington, Massachusetts
Cummington is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 978 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
in 1785, and as a town on June 15, 1807.
In the 1800s, Plainfield was a thriving agricultural community, primarily producing sheep and leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
for tanning. With the widespread adoption of the steamship, and the resultant globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
in the 1870s, the expense of importing both mutton
Lamb (food)
Lamb, mutton, and hogget are the meat of domestic sheep. The meat of a sheep in its first year is lamb; that of a juvenile sheep older than 1 year is hogget; and the meat of an adult sheep is mutton....
and leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
from Australia and New Zealand was greatly reduced. Consequently, the agricultural industries in Plainfield became less profitable, and the Population declined substantially over the following decades.
Sixty-one men from Plainfield joined the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
late in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Six were killed in battle, or died in consequence of their service. Of those who survived, many settled elsewhere after the war.
After almost two centuries of depopulation, modern Plainfield is experiencing increased population growth (as of 2010).
Geography
The Town of Plainfield is situated in the scenic Berkshire HighlandsThe Berkshires
The Berkshires , is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on music, arts, and recreation.-Definition:The term...
where Hampshire County merges into neighboring Franklin
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...
and Berkshire
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...
Counties. Plainfield is part of the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts is a loosely defined geographical region of the U.S. state of Massachusetts which contains the Berkshires, the Pioneer Valley, and some or all of the Swift River Valley. The region is always considered to include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties, and the...
.
Plainfield sits 1620' above sea level, and the peaks of West Mountain (at 2125') are the highest elevation in Hampshire County.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 21.3 square miles (55.2 km²), of which 21 square miles (54.4 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (0.99%) is water.
Plainfield's waterways serve as the headwaters of the Westfield
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...
and Deerfield rivers.
Plainfield is bordered by the towns of Cummington
Cummington, Massachusetts
Cummington is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 978 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Ashfield
Ashfield, Massachusetts
Ashfield is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,737 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Hawley
Hawley, Massachusetts
Hawley is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 337 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Savoy
Savoy, Massachusetts
Savoy is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 705 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, and Windsor
Windsor, Massachusetts
Windsor is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 875 at the 2000 census.-History:...
.
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 589 people, 243 households, and 166 families residing in the town. 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 28.0 people per square mile (10.8/km²). There were 311 housing units at an average density of 14.8 per square mile (5.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.13% White, 0.34% Native American, 0.17% Asian, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 243 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,250, and the median income for a family was $46,042. Males had a median income of $31,625 versus $26,875 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 $20,785. About 4.8% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Government
Plainfield is governed by a Town MeetingTown 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....
open to all registered voters in the town. Ongoing town matters are managed by an elected 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 other Boards and Commissions. The town is part of the Second Berkshire District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, represented by Paul Mark, and the Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampshire Senate district, represented by Ben Downing.
Notable residents, past and present
- John BrownJohn Brown (abolitionist)John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
(1800–1859), abolitionist who played a role in starting the civil war - William Cullen BryantWilliam Cullen BryantWilliam Cullen Bryant was an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post.-Youth and education:...
(1794–1878), poet, philosopher - Ralph EllisonRalph EllisonRalph Waldo Ellison was an American novelist, literary critic, scholar and writer. He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ellison is best known for his novel Invisible Man, which won the National Book Award in 1953...
, novelist, essayist. African-American novelist, literary critic, scholar and writer. Born in Oklahoma City, Ellison was best known for his novel Invisible Man, which won the National Book Award in 1953. - Reverend Moses Hallock, first minister (1792–1837) of the Congregational Church. He Conducted classical school for 30 years; students included John Brown, Marcus Whitman, William Cullen Bryant, Dr. Samuel Shaw. Many students went on to Williams CollegeWilliams CollegeWilliams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
and became missionaries. - Martha J. LambMartha J. LambMartha Joanna Reade Nash Lamb author historian born in Plainfield, Massachusetts to Arvin Nash and Lucinda Vinton. Educated at the Willliston Seminary in Easthampton and the Northampton High School . She published her first article "A Visit to My Mother's Birthplace." in a local newspaper...
author, historian - Charles McCarryCharles McCarryCharles McCarry is an American writer primarily of spy fiction.-Life:McCarry served in the United States Army, where he was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes, has been a small-town newspaperman, and was a speechwriter in the Eisenhower administration. From 1958 to 1967 he worked for the CIA,...
(born 1930), author of more than ten novels and numerous works of non-fiction; Author of Citizen Nader, first authoritative biography of Ralph Nader. Served in the intelligence services of the US which provided the basis for many of his later successful spy-themed novels. - James NaismithJames NaismithThe first game of "Basket Ball" was played in December 1891. In a handwritten report, Naismith described the circumstances of the inaugural match; in contrast to modern basketball, the players played nine versus nine, handled a soccer ball, not a basketball, and instead of shooting at two hoops,...
, inventor of basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. Three 19th-20th century encyclopedias (Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Encyclopedia, Everyman's Encyclopaedia, E.P. Dutton & Co., The New International Encyclopedia, Dodd, Mead & Company in the possession of the Plainfield Historical Society document that basketball was actually played in Plainfield before it was played in Springfield, Massachusetts. - Tom Patti, artist and sculptor, working primarily in glass, whose work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan, the MFA Boston and other collections worldwide.
- Talcott SeelyeTalcott Williams SeelyeTalcott W. Seelye was a United States Foreign Service Officer, United States Ambassador, author, and commentator.-Early life:...
, former United States Ambassador to TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
and SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, ArabistArabist (political)As used in modern political discourse in some quarters, Arabist refers a generally non-Arab specialist in Arabic language or culture perceived to be excessively sympathetic towards Arabic culture and political views... - June Nash, Anthropologist; Previously Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at City College of New York (CCNY) and the Graduate School of the City University of New York (CUNY) . Author of numerous articles on Latin America.
- Irene Jordan Caplan, American opera singer; dramatic coloratura soprano, born in Birmingham, Alabama. Long teaching and singing career including the Metropolitan Opera, New York Married to violinist Arnold Caplan, also at the Metropolitan Opera.
- Frank Reynolds, retired Chair of Department of Religion, University of Chicago. Specialist in SE Asian cultures and religions.
- Charles Dudley WarnerCharles Dudley WarnerCharles Dudley Warner was an American essayist, novelist, and friend of Mark Twain, with whom he co-authored the novel The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today.-Biography:...
, born Plainfield September 12, 1829, author, editor Hartford Courant - Marcus WhitmanMarcus WhitmanMarcus Whitman was an American physician and Oregon missionary in the Oregon Country. Along with his wife Narcissa Whitman he started a mission in what is now southeastern Washington state in 1836, which would later become a stop along the Oregon Trail...
(1802–1847), missionary physician who in 1843 convinced President Tyler that Oregon,and what is now the state of Washington, should be secured for the United States not Great Britain. - Luna Pearl Woolf, American composer, educated at Oberlin College and Harvard University. Composer of the first major work of classical music to commemorate the flooding of New Orleans, "Après Moi, le Déluge", for solo cello and a cappella choir. Co-founder of Oxingale records.