Adams is a
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in northern
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County (pronounced ) is the Western Massachusetts, westernmost County (United States), county in the U.S. state, U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 129,026. Its la ...
, United States. It is part of the
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,166 at the
2020 census.
History
Nathan Jones purchased the township of East Hoosac at auction in 1762 from the
Province of Massachusetts Bay for £3,200. In 1778, the town was officially incorporated as Adams, named in honor of
Samuel Adams, a revolutionary leader and signer of the
Declaration of Independence. Much of the land had been subdivided into and lots. These were mostly farms with frontage on the
Hoosic River, which over time would provide
water power for
woolen,
cotton
Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
,
lumber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
, and
plastic
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or Semisynthesis, semisynthetic materials composed primarily of Polymer, polymers. Their defining characteristic, Plasticity (physics), plasticity, allows them to be Injection moulding ...
mills.
First settled in 1745,
North Adams was originally part of Adams until the town split in 1878. Although there has never been a town of South Adams, the name was used prior to 1878 to specify the southern part of the town that had long had two primary centers, and survives in the name of the South Adams Savings Bank, which was incorporated in 1869.
Early settlers in the 1760s included a group of
Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...
, many of whom migrated together from
Smithfield, Rhode Island. The Quaker
civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...
leader,
abolitionist
Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world.
The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...
, and
suffragist Susan B. Anthony was born in 1820 in Adams, and her family lived there until she was six. They moved west into New York, and later moved again to western New York. Anthony's childhood home has been preserved and is operated today as a museum.
The town's population declined from 1810 to 1820 as farmers moved west for better soil. The
War of 1812 had the unintended result of stimulating development of the
textile
Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...
industry in the United States because
British textiles were no longer available. In 1814, the Adams South Village Cotton Manufacture Company opened. With the construction of a number of mills on the Hoosic River, the demand for labor increased greatly, and Adams' population more than doubled to 4,000 between 1820 and 1835. Growth in both halves of Adams also was stimulated by the opening of the
Hoosac Tunnel in 1875. In the late 1800s, during the expansion of the cotton mills, four large brick buildings were constructed on Park Street: the
P. J. Barrett Block,
Jones Block,
Armory Block, and the
Mausert Block, opposite the Town Hall. They were used for retail stores and offices.
President
William McKinley
William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until Assassination of William McKinley, his assassination in 1901. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...
made two visits to the town, the second in 1897 to lay the
cornerstone of the Adams Free Library. He was a friend of the Plunkett brothers (founders in 1889 of the
Berkshire Cotton Manufacturing Company), and of the textile industry generally. In 1903, the town honored the assassinated president by erecting a larger-than-life statue beside the library.
Berkshire Cotton later became a major part of
Berkshire Hathaway; it continued to manufacture high-quality textiles through the mid-20th century. Its large factory in Adams was closed in 1958. Many textile jobs had moved South, as the industry relocated to states with lower wages and weak unions.
The
mill town's only major remaining mill, Specialty Minerals, mines and processes
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
for
calcium carbonate. This is used in
antacids and
food supplements, as well as paper whiteners and other industrial purposes.
Since the late 20th century, the town has encouraged historic and destination tourism, part of a broader trend in
the Berkshires. It has promoted its natural environment and outdoor activities, and its proximity to the galleries, museums and colleges of North Adams.
Image:1899 Adams public library Massachusetts.png, Adams public library, 1899
Image:Congregational Church, Adams, MA.jpg, Congregational Church, Club House and Parish House
Image:Bridge at Maple Grove, Adams, MA.jpg, Bridge at Maple Grove
Image:Center Street Square, Adams, MA.jpg, Center Street Square
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.33%, is water.
The town lies along the valley surrounding the
Hoosic River and its tributary brooks. Set between the
Taconic Range to the west and the
Hoosac Range of
the Berkshires to the east, Adams includes the summit of
Mount Greylock, elevation above
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
. The mountain, located within the
state reservation of the same name, is the highest point in Massachusetts, a waypoint on the
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...
, and in the 19th century inspired writers including
Herman Melville
Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works ar ...
. The town also includes a corner of Savoy Mountain State Park.
Adams is bordered to the north by
North Adams, to the east by
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
and
Savoy
Savoy (; ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south and west and to the Aosta Vall ...
, to the south by Savoy and
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...
, and to the west by
New Ashford and
Williamstown.
Climate
In a typical year, temperatures fall below for 205 days per year. Annual precipitation is typically per year (high in the US) and snow covers the ground 77 days per year, or 21.1% of the year (the highest in the US). It may be helpful to understand the yearly precipitation by imagining nine straight days of moderate rain per year. The humidity is below 60% for approximately 18.4 days, or 5.0% of the year.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 8,809 people, 3,992 households, and 2,431 families residing in the town. Adams is the third most populated town in Berkshire County, and ranks 184th out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was , ranking it third in the county and 197th in the Commonwealth. There were 4,362 housing units at an average density of , albeit packed into a fairly small portion of lower-lying land. The racial makeup of the town was 98.02%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.36%
Black
Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.08%
Native American, 0.24%
Asian, 0.05%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.27% from
other races, and 0.98% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.
There were 3,992 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were
married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. Of all households, 34.8% were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,161, and the median income for a family was $40,559. Males had a median income of $34,110 versus $23,556 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $18,572. About 7.0% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Adams employs the
representative town meeting form of government, and is led by a town administrator and a
board of selectmen
The select board or board of selectmen is commonly the Executive (government), 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. Three ...
. The current selectmen are Richard Blanchard, John Duval, Christine Hoyt, Joseph Nowak and Howard Rosenberg. Conduct on the Town's Boards have had divisions, tensions and accusations. The town has its own services, including police, fire and public works. The nearest hospital, North Adams Regional Hospital, is located in neighboring North Adams.
The Adams Free Library was founded in 1897, and was established as a war memorial, with the cornerstone being laid by
President McKinley himself. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Adams spent 2.18% ($261,939) of its budget on its public library—some $31 per person.
On the state level, Adams is represented in the
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into ...
by the First Berkshire district, which covers northern Berkshire County, as well as portions of Franklin County. In the
Massachusetts Senate, the town is represented by the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties. The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of the
Massachusetts State Police.
On the national level, Adams is represented in the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
as part of
Massachusetts's 1st congressional district, and has been represented by
Richard Neal of
Springfield since January 2013. Massachusetts is currently represented in the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
by senior Senator
Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator
Ed Markey.
Education
Adams is joined with neighboring Cheshire, and Savoy to form a regional school district. Both towns share an elementary school Plunkett Elementary School that serves Kindergarten to 3th Grade. All 3 towns then send students to Hoosac Valley Middle School from 4th Grade, and 7th Grade, and
Hoosac Valley High School from 8th Grade and 12th Grade, just over the border in Cheshire. Hoosac Valley's colors are red and white, and their teams are nicknamed the "Hurricanes."
Adams is also home to the
Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School (BArT) serving grades six through twelve. BArT is a free public school.
High school students may choose to attend the public
Charles H. McCann Technical High School in North Adams. There is also a parochial school in Adams, Saint Stanislaus Kostka, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, and other private schools are located in neighboring towns.
The nearest community college is
Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. The nearest state college is
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, and the nearest university is
University of Massachusetts Amherst. The nearest private college is
Williams College in nearby Williamstown.
Transportation
Massachusetts Route 8 is the primary north–south road through town, and was originally signed as
New England Interstate Route 8, which extended southward to
Bridgeport, Connecticut. The town is the northern terminus of
Route 116, which extends southeast to
Springfield.
Until 1953 the
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected New York metropolitan area, gr ...
had operated passenger trains from North Adams, south through Adams towards
Pittsfield and
Chatham, New York
Chatham is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Columbia County, New York, Columbia County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 4,104 at the 2020 census, down from the 2010 census.US Census Bureau, 2020 ...
over
Boston & Albany rail lines. The station house,
Adams station still stands.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
train service on the ''
Lake Shore Limited'' is available 15 miles to the south at Pittsfield's
Scelsi ITC.
Freight rail once ran through the town, but is now mostly converted to the paved
Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. The town lies along the northern route of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority. Regional bus service can be found in North Adams, as can regional air service at
Harriman-and-West Airport. The nearest airport with international flights is
Albany International Airport in New York.
Sites of interest
* Adams Agricultural Fair
*
Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum
*
Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
* Greylock Glen
*
Hoosac Valley Train
*
Maple Street Cemetery
* Mount Greylock State Reservation
*
Pittsfield & North Adams Passenger Station and Baggage & Express House
*
Quaker Meeting House (1782)
*
St. Stanislaus Parish Roman Catholic Church
*
Summer Street Historic District
Image:Greylock summit monument.JPG, The War Memorial Tower atop Mount Greylock
File:Elm Tree in Adams, MA - August 2020.jpg, The last American elm tree in downtown Adams is located at the former St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Commercial Street. The church was built in 1881.
Image:Adams-McKinley Statue.jpg, William McKinley
William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until Assassination of William McKinley, his assassination in 1901. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...
statue in the square in front of the library (2004 photo)
Notable people
*
Daniel Read Anthony (1824–1904), publisher and militant abolitionist
*
Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906), women's suffragist
*
George N. Briggs (1796–1861),
Governor of Massachusetts
The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The governor is the chief executive, head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonw ...
*
Jonathan Butler (born 1981), Full Time Golfer
*
Lona Cohen (1913–1992), Soviet spy
*
George P. Lawrence (1859–1917), US congressman
*
Dale Long (1926–1991), Major League Baseball player
*
Albert L. Phillips (1824–1893), Wisconsin politician
*
Stacy Schiff (born 1961), author
See also
*
American school of magic in Harry Potter, Ilvermorny
*
List of mill towns in Massachusetts
References
External links
Town of Adams official websiteExplore AdamsBerkshire Visitors Bureau*
*
{{authority control
1778 establishments in the Province of Massachusetts Bay
Towns in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Towns in Massachusetts