Berkshire County

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berkshire County Courthouse
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
Map of Berkshire County within Massachusetts

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 age pyramid (as of 2000)

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

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

Commons : Berkshire County  - Collection of Pictures, Videos, and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ GNIS-ID: 606928. Retrieved on February 22, 2011 (English).
  2. ↑ Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: Massachusetts . National Park Service , accessed November 16, 2017.
  3. ↑ Extract from census.gov (2000 + 2010). Accessed April 4, 2012
  4. Jump up ↑ Berkshire County, Massachusetts , 2000 census data sheet at factfinder.census.gov .
  5. ↑ More on Windsor Mountain School

Coordinates: 42 ° 22 ′  N , 73 ° 12 ′  W