Living in Massachusetts Towns and Cities - Adams, Massachusetts
Some of the towns first settlers in the 1760s were a group of Quakers. Many of these came together from Smithfield, Rhode Island.
Population in Adams, Massachusetts declined from 1810 to 1820 when farmers moved west for better soil. The Adams South Village Cotton Manufacture Company opened in 1814. A number of mills on the Hoosic River opened and created a population increase of more than double in 15 years. Growth continued with the opening of the Hoosac Tunnel in 1875.
President William McKinley made two visits to Adams, Massachusetts during his term. One visit was to dedicate the towns library. In 1903, the assassinated President was honored with a larger-than-life statue beside the town library.
There is only one major remaining mill in Adams, Massachusetts today. It is the Specialty Minerals Mill that mines and processes limestone for calcium carbonate used in antacids and food supplements as well as paper whiteners and other industrial purposes.
The town continues to move toward tourism, which is primarily centered on its natural beauty and out door activities as well as its proximity to the galleries, museums and colleges of North Adams and Williamstown. Adams is a land of natural beauty, which is full of dense forests, wide open fields, mountain streams and abundant wildlife. Amidst the natural beauty of Adams, Massachusetts is a small town noted for its fine schools, churches and community character. It is also home to the unique establishment of Waverly Fabrics factory outlet.
Rich Victorian architectural legacy can be found on many town streets. One of the most captivating scenes in town is a view from the top of Mt. Greylock.
Schools
The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District provides education for kindergarten through high school. The Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional School District provides vocational education at high school and postgraduate levels. A parochial school, St. Stanislaus Kostka maintains programs from pre-kindergarten through the eighth-grade level.
The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District includes four schools which are:
Two elementary schools
One middle school
A high school
The land in Adams, Massachusetts has no significant ponds, but the Hoosic River run through it. Mount Greyloc at 3,491 feet is the highest point in Massachusetts and is a waypoint on the Appalachian Trial. The town has many trails besides the Appalachian Trail, which was inspiration to Herman Melville and other 19th Century writers. There is a paved trail called Ashuwillticook Rail Trail.
Places of interest include:
The Berkshire Visitors Bureau offers maps, pamphlets and personal help to visitors throughout the region.
The Quaker Meeting House is open Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
A festival in late July to celebrate Susan B. Anthony who was a civil rights leader.
Adams Agricultural Fair is in early August.
The Fall Run Weekend and Motorcycle Ride in Springfield are held each September. Proceeds go toward the Shriners Childrens Hospital in Springfield.
The Mount Greylock Ramble for hikers attracts crowds of people each Columbus Day.
The Western Mass Athletic Club runs numerous road, trail and snowshoe races along Adams streets and at the Greylock Glen area.
Adams is in Western Massachusetts. It is bordered by New Ashford and Williamstown on the west, Cheshire on the south, Savory on the east, Florida on the northeast, and North Adams on the north. Adams is 15 miles north of Pittsfield, 133 miles northwest of Boston, 65 miles from Albany, New York, and 158 miles from New York City.
Form of government includes:
Board of Selectmen
Town Administrator
Representative Town Meeting
Transportation and Access
Adams is situated in Berkshire County, a region of hills and low mountains that widen to create the Berkshire Valley in the south. The principal highway is State Route 8. There is no passenger or freight rail service in Adams. The town has access to the network of intermodal facilities serving Massachusetts. The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority provides fixed route bus service to neighboring towns, with connections in Pittsfield to the southern Berkshires, and also offers user-side paratransit services for the elderly and disabled.
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.
2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved
Written by: Connie Limon For more information about the history of, living, working and visiting Massachusetts, visit http://smalldogs2.com/VisitingMassachusetts For a variety of FREE reprint articles and a special section of articles on U.S. History and the Kennedy Family, visit http://www.camelotarticles.com
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Ashby, Massachusetts
Ashby, Massachusetts is a small rural community with a friendly atmosphere. It is located in the north central section of Ma...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Alford, Massachusetts
Alford is an extremely small town located in Southwestern Massachusetts, bordered by West Stockbridge on the north, Great Bar...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Ashburnham, Massachusetts
Ashburnham is nestled in the picturesque hills of northern Worcester County. It is a quintessential New England community. ...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Agawam, Massachusetts
The town of Agawam boasts of a convenient location, affordable land and buildings, and a low tax rate. The towns rural past ...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Arlington, Massachusetts
Arlington is located in Eastern Massachusetts, bordered by Winchester on the north, Medford and Somerville on the east, Cambr...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Athol, Massachusetts
Athol is located in a blue-collar community in the North Quabbin region of West Central Massachusetts. It lies between the p...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Amesbury, Massachusetts
Amesbury, Massachusetts is a suburban community with an unusual industrial and manufacturing history. The Europeans first se...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Ashland, Massachusetts
Ashland is located midway between Boston and Worcester. There is easy access to the interstate highway system and the Massac...
Living in Massachusetts Towns and Cities - Acton, Massachusetts Part 2
Acton, Massachusetts is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.The Acton Public School District consists of five ...
Living in Massachusetts Towns and Cities - Abington, Massachusetts
Abington is a small community of approximately 13,000 people. The town is located 12 miles south of Boston and was first set...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts is located just 20 miles north of Boston. It is a suburban community of 32 square miles with a popula...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro is located in southeastern Massachusetts. It is a small manufacturing city bordered by North Attleboro and Mansfie...
Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Aquinnah, Massachusetts
The Town of Aquinnah was known as Gay Head before the year of 1998. It is a unique town in that it is the only community in ...
Cape Cod - Brewster, Massachusetts
Brewster is rich in culture and history. It is a small quintessential town that boasts some of the finest lodgings, shops, g...
Living in New Hampshire Cities and Towns - Acworth, New Hampshire
This town is named for Lord Acworth, who was an English nobleman. The original charter was in 1752 and the original name was...
Living in Vermont Cities and Towns - Rockingham (Bellows Falls), Vermont
The town of Rockingham is located in southeastern Vermont on the banks of the Connecticut River. The area is predominantly r...
Things To Keep In Mind When Relocating
The statistics are clear. More of us are relocating at least a couple times in our lives. Given this fact, there are a couple...
Picking up and Moving to Europe
As the global economy truly becomes global, moving overseas is more and more common. Europe is at the top of many peoples lis...
Tuscany Villas
Buying Tuscany villas may sound like a romantic, even easy idea, but it canot be more complicated. Buying local property is h...
Visiting the Tuscany Umbria Border Area of Italy
South eastern Tuscany meets its smaller neighbour Umbria, on Umbrias northeastern border. The border area of Tuscany and Um...