Greenfield, Massachusetts
The 'Town of Greenfield', a city "to be known as the Town of Greenfield" is located in Franklin County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 18,168. It is the county seat of Franklin County 6. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair.
History
Settled in 1686, Greenfield was set off from Deerfield and incorporated in 1753. Named for the Green River, the town was the eastern terminus of the Mohawk Trail, a principal route for settlers traveling west into Upstate New York. Greenfield was attacked repeatedly by Native Americans until 1735.
The town is located at the confluence of the Deerfield and Green rivers, not far from where they both merge into the Connecticut River. In the 1800s, Greenfield was the site of the first cutlery factory in the country. The community has several houses designed by noted native-born architect, Asher Benjamin. His Leavitt-Hovey House, built in 1797, is now the Greenfield Public Library. "Poet's Seat Tower," located atop Rocky Mountain and named in honor of local 19th century bard, Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, provides a dramatic view of the city.
The area is home to an optical illusion known as a gravity hill. It is located on Shelburne Road, while facing Greenfield, immediately after the Route 2 bridge. From under the overpass, the road appears to rise slightly to a crest a few hundred feet away. The illusion is slight, but convincing. A car in neutral at the "bottom" of the rise will appear to crawl uphill.
Greenfield's city status was established by election of its first mayor, Christine Forgey, in 2003. When a town, it had been governed by a selectboard.
Historic Sites & Museums
- The Museum of Our Industrial Heritage
- Old Greenfield Village
Notable Inhabitants
- Asher Benjamin, architect
- Penn Jillette, magician
- Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, poet
- Jack Moran (author of Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!)
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 56.8 km² (21.9 mi²). 56.3 km² (21.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.87% water. Greenfield is drained by the Deerfield and Green rivers.
The town is located at latitude 42 degrees 35 minutes North, longitude 72 degrees, 36 minutes West. On a road map, Greenfield is situated at the intersection of Interstate 91 and Route 2, near where the borders of Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire meet.
Demographics
This article describes the town of Greenfield as a whole. Additional demographic details are available which describe only the central settlement within the city, although those details are included in the aggregate values reported here. See: Greenfield (CDP), Massachusetts.
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 18,168 people, 7,939 households, and 4,374 families residing in the city. The population density is 322.8/km² (836.2/mi²). There are 8,301 housing units at an average density of 147.5/km² (382.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 93.39% White, 1.34% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.10% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.41% from other races, and 2.43% from two or more races. 3.54% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 7,939 households out of which 26.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.6% are married couples living together, 12.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 44.9% are non-families. 36.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.19 and the average family size is 2.88.
In the town the population is spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $33,110, and the median income for a family is $46,412. Males have a median income of $33,903 versus $26,427 for females. The per capita income for the town is $18,830. 14.0% of the population and 11.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.2% of those under the age of 18 and 11.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
