Berkshire County
Berkshire County Courthouse |
|
administration | |
---|---|
US state : | Massachusetts |
Administrative headquarters : | Pittsfield |
Foundation : | 1761 |
Demographics | |
Residents : | 131,219 (2010) |
Population density : | 54.4 inhabitants / km 2 |
geography | |
Total area : | 2451 km² |
Water surface : | 39 km² |
map | |
The Berkshire County is a county in the US state of Massachusetts . The county seat is Pittsfield . After the county government was abolished in 2000, the county only exists as a historical geographic region and serves some administrative purposes.
geography
The county has an area of 2,451 square kilometers, of which 39 square kilometers are water. It is bordered in a clockwise direction by the following counties: Bennington County, Vermont, Franklin County , Hampshire County , Hampden County , Litchfield County, Connecticut, Columbia County, New York, and Rensselaer County, New York.
history
Berkshire County was formed from parts of Hampshire County in 1761 .
Nine Berkshire County's historic sites have National Historic Landmark status , including Herman Melville's home , Arrowhead , Daniel Chester French's summer residence and studio , Daniel Chester French Home and Studio , and Edith Wharton's home , The Mount .
population
growth of population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Residents | ± in% | |
1790 | 30,263 | - | |
1800 | 33,885 | 12% | |
1810 | 35,907 | 6% | |
1820 | 35,720 | -0.5% | |
1830 | 37,835 | 5.9% | |
1840 | 41,745 | 10.3% | |
1850 | 49,591 | 18.8% | |
1860 | 55,120 | 11.1% | |
1870 | 64,827 | 17.6% | |
1880 | 69,032 | 6.5% | |
1890 | 81,108 | 17.5% | |
1900 | 95,667 | 18% | |
1910 | 105.259 | 10% | |
1920 | 113.033 | 7.4% | |
1930 | 120,700 | 6.8% | |
1940 | 122.273 | 1.3% | |
1950 | 132,966 | 8.7% | |
1960 | 142,135 | 6.9% | |
1970 | 149.402 | 5.1% | |
1980 | 145.110 | -2.9% | |
1990 | 139,352 | -4% | |
2000 | 134,953 | -3.2% | |
2010 | 131,219 | -2.8% | |
2000 + 2010 |
Berkshire County's population of 134,953 lived in 56,006 households and 35,115 families according to the 2000 census . The population was composed of 95.02 percent white, 1.99 percent African American, 0.99 percent Asian, and 0.15 percent Native American. 1.69 percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The per capita income was $ 21,807; 6.5 percent of families and 9.5 percent of the population lived below the poverty line .
Like a slim majority of Massachusetts counties, Berkshire County no longer has a county government. All previous functions of the county were taken over by state authorities in 2000. The sheriff and a few other regional officials with special duties are still locally elected to serve within the county. The municipalities now have greater autonomy and can conclude regional contracts to offer services together.
cities and communes
- Adams
- Alford
- Becket
- Cheshire
- Clarksburg
- Dalton
- Egremont
- Florida
- Great Barrington
- Hancock
- Hinsdale
- Lanesborough
- lee
- Lenox
- Monterey
- Mount Washington
- New Ashford
- New Marlborough
- North Adams
- Otis
- Peru
- Pittsfield
- Richmond
- Sandisfield
- Savoy
- Sheffield
- Stockbridge
- Tyringham
- Washington
- West Stockbridge
- Williamstown
- Windsor
Private schools in Berkshire County
Some well-known private schools existed in and around Lenox until the 1970s, including the Windsor Mountain School and the Stockbridge School founded by German emigrants . Other institutions were The Lenox School for Boys (1926–1972), The Cranwell School (1939–1975), The Rockwood Academy (1964–1975), Foxhollow School for Girls (founded 1898) and The Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (1961– 1979). All of these schools fell victim to the changing social conditions of the 1970s and the reputation of the elite that many private schools had come to have.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ GNIS-ID: 606928. Retrieved on February 22, 2011 (English).
- ↑ Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: Massachusetts . National Park Service , accessed November 16, 2017.
- ↑ Extract from census.gov (2000 + 2010). Accessed April 4, 2012
- Jump up ↑ Berkshire County, Massachusetts , 2000 census data sheet at factfinder.census.gov .
- ↑ More on Windsor Mountain School
Coordinates: 42 ° 22 ′ N , 73 ° 12 ′ W