Chester is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than city, cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares ...
in
Hampden County,
, United States, situated in
Western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts, known colloquially as “Western Mass,” is a region in Massachusetts, one of the six U.S. states that make up the New England region of the United States. Western Massachusetts has diverse topography; 22 colleges and u ...
. It is part of the
Springfield metropolitan statistical area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. The town includes the
Chester Factory Village Historic District. The total population was 1,228 in the 2020 census.
History

The area was opened for settlement in the 1750s as Township No. 9. It was incorporated as Murrayfield by the Massachusetts General Court on October 31, 1765. The town’s name was often confused with that of nearby Myrifield, also spelled “Merryfield” (now
Rowe, Massachusetts
Rowe is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 424 at the 2020 census.
History
Rowe was the site of fishing and foraging for local Native American tribes. The area was first visited by white settlers in 1 ...
) so the town petitioned the General Court to change its name to “Fairfield”. The General Court chose the name “Chester” instead and passed the act to change its name on February 21, 1783.

The Western Railroad (later
Boston & Albany Railroad
The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail, and CSX Transportation. The line is currently used by CSX for freight. Pas ...
) opened to Chester on May 24, 1841. In 1893 the
collapse of a railroad bridge in Chester killed 14 people.
Geography
Set on the eastern edge of the
Berkshires
The Berkshires () are a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. The term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the Vermont-based Green Mountains that ex ...
, Chester makes up the northwest corner of
Hampden County. It is bordered by
Huntington on the east,
Worthington
Worthington may refer to:
People
* Worthington (surname)
* Worthington family, a British noble family
Businesses
* Worthington Brewery, also known as Worthington's
* Worthington Corporation, founded as a pump manufacturer in 1845, later a di ...
and
Middlefield on the north,
Becket
''Becket or The Honour of God'' (french: Becket ou l'honneur de Dieu) is a 1959 play written in French by Jean Anouilh. It is a depiction of the conflict between Thomas Becket and King Henry II of England leading to Becket's assassination in 117 ...
on the west, and
Blandford
Blandford Forum ( ), commonly Blandford, is a market town in Dorset, England, sited by the River Stour about northwest of Poole. It was the administrative headquarters of North Dorset District until April 2019, when this was abolished and ...
on the south. Chester is southeast of
Pittsfield
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfield� ...
, northwest of
Springfield, west of
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...
, southeast of
Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York Ci ...
, and northeast of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy
An economy is an area of th ...
, the town has a total area of , of which are land and , or 1.56%, are water.
It is drained by tributaries of the
Westfield River
The Westfield River is a major tributary of the Connecticut River located in the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley regions of western Massachusetts. With four major tributary branches that converge west of the city of Westfield, it flows (measured ...
. Many brooks flow into the
Westfield throughout Chester. The
West Branch of the Westfield flows through the western and southern parts of town and passes through the
village of Chester, while the Middle Branch flows through the northern and eastern parts of the town, passing through the villages of North Chester and Dayville. The small village of Chester Center occupies high ground between the two river branches.
U.S. Route 20 follows the West Branch from the southeast corner of the town to Chester village, then turns west up the valley of Walker Brook on its way to the town of Becket.
Temperature records
On August 2, 1975, the temperature in Chester rose to . This remains the hottest temperature ever recorded in the state of Massachusetts, along with a similar reading in
New Bedford
New Bedford (Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American pe ...
on the same day. On January 12, 1981, the temperature at Chester fell to , the coldest temperature ever recorded in Massachusetts. Thus, Chester is only one of three places in the United States which has recorded both of its state's
extreme temperatures, the others being
Millsboro, Delaware
Millsboro is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. Millsboro is part of the Salisbury metropolitan area.
History
Millsboro's earliest European settlers were of English family origin; though most were second generation colonists who s ...
, and
Warsaw, Missouri
Warsaw is a city located in Benton County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,127 at the 2010 census. Warsaw is the county seat of Benton County.
Adjacent to the Osage River it is heavily tied to two major lakes on the river. The upp ...
.
Demographics

As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, there were 1,308 people, 500 households, and 360 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 580 housing units at an average density of 15.8 per square mile (6.1/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.24%
White
White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...
, 0.15%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
, 0.46%
Native American, 0.08%
Asian, 0.31% from
other races, and 0.76% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.
There were 500 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,816, and the median income for a family was $51,932. Males had a median income of $38,083 versus $25,789 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $18,098. About 2.9% of families and 5.8% 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 3.0% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Library
The Chester public library was established in 1894. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Chester spent 1.04% ($28,512) of its budget on its public library—some $22 per person.
Theater
Chester is home to
Chester Theatre Company
Chester Theatre Company (CTC) is a professional summer theatre company in Chester, Massachusetts. CTC performances take place in the Chester Town Hall, which seat approximately 130 guests. CTC also operates several community-based education ...
, a professional summer theater founded in 1990.
Notable people
*
Rowland Day
Rowland Day (March 6, 1779 Chester, Massachusetts – December 23, 1853 Moravia, New York) was an American merchant and politician from New York. From 1823 to 1825, he served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Life
In 1805, Day re ...
, congressman
*
Capt. David Shepard, American doctor and soldier; an early proponent of inoculation to prevent smallpox
See also
*
Gateway Regional School District (Massachusetts)
References
* ''Chester Folks: The Founders of the Town, Their Ancestors and Descendants''. Compiled by William S. Mills, 1923; Edited by Charles B. Moore, 1996. Available from th
Chester Historical Societyby Narrative compiled by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), at MassOnline
External links
Town of Chester official website''MHC Survey Reconnaissance Town Report: Chester'' Massachusetts Historical Commission, 1982
{{authority control
Towns in Hampden County, Massachusetts
Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts
Towns in Massachusetts