Buckland, Massachusetts

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Buckland, Massachusetts
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption = Buckland Town Hall
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Franklin County in Massachusetts


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Massachusetts
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Franklin
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1779
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1779
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
government_type = Open town meeting
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 51.2
area_total_sq_mi = 19.8
area_land_km2 = 50.7
area_land_sq_mi = 19.6
area_water_km2 = 0.5
area_water_sq_mi = 0.2
population_as_of = 2000
settlement_type = Town
population_total = 1991
population_density_km2 = 39.3
population_density_sq_mi = 101.8
elevation_m = 210
elevation_ft = 690
timezone = Eastern
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = Eastern
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 42 |latm = 35 |lats = 32 |latNS = N
longd = 72 |longm = 47 |longs = 32 |longEW = W
website =
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 01338
area_code = 413
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 25-09595
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0618159
footnotes =

Buckland is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,991 at the 2000 census. The town shares the village of Shelburne Falls with neighboring Shelburne.

Buckland is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Buckland was first settled in 1742 as "No Town," as it was not currently part of either the village of Charlemont or Ashfield, which the land belonged to as one large town. A sawmill was set up that year by Othneil Taylor and Asaph White, and eventually settlement occurred. However, the townspeople did not want to cross the Deerfield River or travel the long distance to Ashfield Village to attend services, so they petitioned the Massachusetts General Court for a separate incorporation. The town was incorporated on April 14, 1779 as Buckland, presumably named for the abundant hunting in the area. [ [http://www.co.franklin.ma.us/buckland.html Town of Buckland - Franklin County Chamber of Commerce] ]

Buckland was the birthplace of Mary Lyon, foundress of the Mount Holyoke Female Semniary, now known as Mount Holyoke College.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.8 square miles (51.2 km²), of which, 19.6 square miles (50.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.96%) is water. Buckland is located in western Franklin County, and is bordered by Charlemont to the north, Shelburne to the northeast, Conway to the southeast, Ashfield to the south, and Hawley to the west. Buckland's town center is located 13 miles west of Greenfield, 40 miles north-northwest of Springfield, and 103 miles west-northwest of Boston.

Buckland lies along the banks of the Deerfield River, which bends from northward to westward along the town line. The Clesson Brook and Clark Brook flow northward through town towards the river, with the former forming the main valley in the town. To either side of the valley lie several hills, including Walnut Hill, Drank Hill and Snow Mountain to the west and Mary Lyon Hill and Moonshine Hill to the east, both of which are between the two brooks. Moonshine Hill is also home to a small state forest.

A short section of Route 2, known as the Mohawk Trail, passes through the northeast corner of town. The westernmost portion of Route 2A also passes through Shelburne Falls, with most of the route combined with Route 112, which crosses the river in the village and continues from the junction of Route 2 (where Rte. 2A terminates) southward towards Ashfield. The nearest interstate, Interstate 91, passes through nearby Greenfield.

There is a park and ride located junction of Routes 2 and 2A, on the route between Greenfield and North Adams. South of the river, the freight rail line passes from Conway to the west, towards the Hoosac Tunnel through the mountains to the west. Buckland lies along the "Campus West" line of the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) bus line, but has no scheduled stops in town (the nearest being in Charlemont and Shelburne Falls). The nearest Amtrak stations are in Pittsfield and Springfield, and the nearest small air service is at Turners Falls. The nearest national air service is at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,991 people, 772 households, and 542 families residing in the town. By population, Buckland ranks ninth out of the twenty-six towns in Franklin County, and 291st out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 101.8 people per square mile (39.3/km²), which ranks seventh in the county and 280th in the Commonwealth. There were 839 housing units at an average density of 42.9/sq mi (16.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.53% White, 0.45% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population.

There were 772 households out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% 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 3.00.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,833, and the median income for a family was $51,420. Males had a median income of $38,684 versus $24,977 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,033. About 3.5% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Buckland employs the open town meeting form of government, and is governed by a board of selectmen and an administrative assistant. The town offices, police station and fire station are all located in Shelburne Falls, with the Buckland Public Library and the town's post office located near the geographic center of town. The nearest hospital, Franklin Medical Center, is located in Greenfield, as are most of the nearest state offices.

On the state level, Buckland is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by the Second Berkshire district, which covers central Berkshire County, as well as portions of Hampshire and Franklin Counties. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is represented by the Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes most of eastern Franklin County and much of eastern Hampshire County. [ [http://www.mass.gov/legis/city_town.htm List of Massachusetts Legislators by City and Town] ] The town is patrolled by the Second Barracks of Troop "B" of the Massachusetts State Police, headquartered on the Shelburne side of Shelburne Falls. [ [http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Law+Enforcement+%26+Criminal+Justice&L2=Law+Enforcement&L3=State+Police+Troops&L4=Troop+B&sid=Eeops&b=terminalcontent&f=msp_divisions_field_services_troops_troop_b_msp_field_troop_b_station_b2&csid=Eeops Station B-2, SP Shelburne Falls] ]

On the national level, Buckland 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. Massachusetts is represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Ted Kennedy and junior Senator John Kerry.

Education

Buckland is a member of the Mohawk Trail Regional School District, which covers six towns on the elementary level and most of western Franklin County on the upper levels of education. Buckland-Shelburne Regional Elementary School (in Shelburne) serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grades for the two towns, and students from grades 7-12 attend Mohawk Trail Regional High School. Mohawk Trail Regional's athletics teams are nicknamed the Warriors, and their school colors are blue and gold. There are several private, religious and charter schools located in the Greenfield area, with the most prominent being Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill and the Academy at Charlemont in Charlemont.

The nearest community college, Greenfield Community College, is located in Greenfield. The nearest state college is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The nearest private colleges, including members of the Five Colleges and Seven Sisters, are located southeast in the Northampton area.

References