Dalton, Massachusetts
Dalton, Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
| Town of Dalton | |
 | |
 Seal | |
| Motto: "Heaven in the heart of the Berkshires"[1] | |
 Location inBerkshire Countyand the state ofMassachusetts. | |
  Dalton Location within thecontiguous United States of America | |
| Coordinates:42°28′25″N73°10′00″W/ 42.47361°N 73.16667°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Massachusetts |
| County | Berkshire |
| Settled | 1755 |
| Incorporated | 1784 |
| Named for | Tristram Dalton |
| Government | |
| • Type | Open town meeting |
| Area | |
| • Total | 56.7 km2(21.9 sq mi) |
| • Land | 56.4 km2(21.8 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.3 km2(0.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 365 m (1,199 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 6,330 |
| • Density | 110/km2(290/sq mi) |
| •Demonym | Daltonian |
| Time zone | UTC−5(Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4(Eastern) |
| ZIP Code | 01226 |
| Area code | 413 |
| FIPS code | 25-16180 |
| GNISfeature ID | 0619418 |
| Website | dalton-ma |
Daltonis atowninBerkshire County,Massachusetts,United States. Dalton is a transition town[clarification needed]between the urban and rural portions of Berkshire County. It is part of thePittsfield,MassachusettsMetropolitan Statistical Area.The population was 6,330 at the2020 census.[2]
History
[edit]Dalton was first settled in 1755 on formerEquivalent Lands,and officiallyincorporatedin 1784.[1]The town was named afterTristram Dalton,[3]theSpeakerof theMassachusetts House of Representativesat the time of the town's incorporation.
Dalton was settled as a rural-industrial community, with mills set up along the East Branch of theHousatonic Riverand small patches of farmland in other areas. In 1801, Zenas Crane, Henry Wiswall and John Willard set up a paper mill along the river which, by 1844, had begun producingbanknotepaper, which was purchased by banks all the way to Boston. The company,Crane & Co.,still is the largest employer in town, making paper products, stationery, and, since 1873, has been the only supplier of paper for theFederal Reserve Note,the United States' paper money. The town now has a mix of small town and suburban qualities, and was served bytrolleysto Pittsfield for many years.[4]
In 1973, Dalton was the host of theInternational Six Days Enduro(ISDE or ISDT), also referred to as "The Olympics of Motorcycling". The ISDE is an annual event held in a different country each year since 1913 (minus WWI and WWII), and draws competitors from all around the world.
Geography
[edit]
Main Street and Depot Street, 2008.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the town has a total area of 21.9 square miles (56.7 km2), of which 21.8 square miles (56.4 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.45%, is water.[5]Dalton is bordered byCheshireto the northwest and north,Windsorto the northeast,Hinsdaleto the east,Washingtonto the south, andPittsfieldandLanesboroughto the west. The town center is 5 miles (8 km) northeast of downtown Pittsfield, 45 miles (72 km) northwest ofSpringfield,and 140 miles (230 km) west ofBoston.
Dalton's center of population, due to its milling history, is around the valley of the East Branch of the Housatonic River. Several brooks empty into the river, including Wahconah Falls Brook, whose eponymous waterfalls are a small state park. Much of the rest of town is dominated bythe Berkshires,with the north being on a plateau between the peaks of North Mountain and Western Mountain, covered by the Dalton Wildlife Management Area. The south is dominated by Tully Mountain, whose peak is just over the Hinsdale line. TheAppalachian Trailwinds through town, passing between Tully and North Mountains through the downtown area.
Transportation
[edit]Dalton lies at the junction ofMassachusetts Route 8,Route 8AandRoute 9,with the latter two running concurrently. Route 9 is the major central east-west route through the state, and ends in neighboring Pittsfield. Dalton's nearest interstate isInterstate 90,theMassachusetts Turnpike,whose nearest exit is 15 miles (24 km) south of town. TheBerkshire Regional Transit Authorityprovides bus service. The rail line, owned byCSX Transportation,hosts freight andAmtrak'sLake Shore Limitedwith a station stop in Pittsfield. The nearest regional air service can be found atPittsfield Municipal Airport,and the nearest national air service can be found atAlbany International Airport.
Demographics
[edit]| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1,020 | — |
| 1860 | 1,243 | +21.9% |
| 1870 | 1,252 | +0.7% |
| 1880 | 2,052 | +63.9% |
| 1890 | 2,885 | +40.6% |
| 1900 | 3,014 | +4.5% |
| 1910 | 3,568 | +18.4% |
| 1920 | 3,752 | +5.2% |
| 1930 | 4,220 | +12.5% |
| 1940 | 4,206 | −0.3% |
| 1950 | 4,772 | +13.5% |
| 1960 | 6,436 | +34.9% |
| 1970 | 7,505 | +16.6% |
| 1980 | 6,797 | −9.4% |
| 1990 | 7,155 | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 6,892 | −3.7% |
| 2010 | 6,756 | −2.0% |
| 2020 | 6,330 | −6.3% |
| 2022* | 6,236 | −1.5% |
| * = population estimate. Source:United States censusrecords andPopulation Estimates Programdata.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] | ||
As of thecensus[17]of 2000, there were 6,892 people, 2,712 households, and 1,857 families residing in the town. By population, Dalton ranks sixth out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 217th out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 316.0 inhabitants per square mile (122.0/km2), which ranks 4th in the county and 210th in the Commonwealth. There were 2,832 housing units at an average density of 129.8 per square mile (50.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.78%White,0.51%African American,0.12%Native American,0.71%Asian,0.44% fromother races,and 0.45% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were 2,712 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% weremarried couplesliving together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $47,891, and the median income for a family was $59,717. Males had a median income of $41,379 versus $28,885 for females. Theper capita incomefor the town was $23,634. About 1.2% of families and 2.7% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
The town has churches for several different Christian denominations, including aCongregational church,aRoman Catholic Church,aMethodist Church,anEpiscopal churchand aChurch of the Nazarene.
Government
[edit]Dalton uses theopen town meetingform of government, and is led by aboard of selectmenand a town manager. Dalton has its own police, fire district, ambulance, and public works departments. The town's public library, located adjacent to the town hall, is a member of the regional library network. The nearest hospital, Berkshire Medical Center, is in neighboring Pittsfield.
On the state level, Dalton is represented in theMassachusetts House of Representativesas part of the Second Berkshire district, represented byPaul Mark,which covers towns in Berkshire County, Hampshire County, and Franklin County. In theMassachusetts Senate,the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties.
On the national level, Dalton is represented in theUnited States House of Representativesas part ofMassachusetts's 1st congressional district.MA-01 is represented byRichard NealofSpringfield, Massachusetts.
The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of theMassachusetts State Police.[18]
Education
[edit]Dalton is the town with the highest population in theCentral Berkshire Regional School District.Craneville Elementary School serves Dalton students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Nessacus Regional Middle School, also in Dalton, serves all middle school students in the district, andWahconah Regional High Schoolis the district's high school, located in Dalton. The athletic teams are nicknamed the Warriors, and their colors are blue and white.
The town also has aparochial school,Saint Agnes Academy, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grades. There are other private and parochial schools in neighboring Pittsfield, including a Catholic high school.
The nearest community college,Berkshire Community College,is located in Pittsfield. The nearest state college isMassachusetts College of Liberal Artsin North Adams, and the nearest university is theUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst.
Dalton gave its name to theDalton Planeducational concept and theDalton School(seeHelen Parkhurst).[19]
Notable people
[edit]- Dan Duquette,formerBoston Red Sox,Baltimore OriolesandMontreal Exposgeneral manager
- Mary Cutler Fairchild(1855–1921), librarian and library educator[20]
- Jeff Reardon,16-yearMajor League Baseballveteran who spent three seasons (1990–1992) with theBoston Red Sox
- Anton Strout,USA Todaybestselling fantasy and science fiction author, host of The Once and Future Podcast[21]
- David H. Tower,paper mill architect who designed many of Crane's first mills used to fill orders for theBureau of Engraving and Printing,best known doing business with his brother under the firm D. H. & A. B. Tower
- Turk Wendell,formerMajor League Baseballpitcher[22]
See also
[edit]
- List of mill towns in Massachusetts
- List of municipalities in Massachusetts
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
References
[edit]- ^ab"Town of Dalton, Massachusetts".Town of Dalton, Massachusetts.RetrievedAugust 25,2012.
- ^"Census - Geography Profile: Dalton town, Berkshire County, Massachusetts".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedNovember 14,2021.
- ^Gannett, Henry (1905).The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States.Govt. Print. Off. pp.99.
- ^"Dalton, a historic settlement"from Dalton-MA.gov
- ^"Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Alford town, Berkshire County, Massachusetts".U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived fromthe originalon February 12, 2020.RetrievedDecember 18,2013.
- ^"Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1".American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts.United States Census Bureau. 2010.
- ^"Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts"(PDF).US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts"(PDF).US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"1950 Census of Population"(PDF).Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"1920 Census of Population"(PDF).Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"1890 Census of the Population"(PDF).Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"1870 Census of the Population"(PDF).Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"1860 Census"(PDF).Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"1850 Census"(PDF).Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c.RetrievedJuly 12,2011.
- ^"City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2022".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedNovember 24,2023.
- ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
- ^Station B-4, SP Cheshire
- ^Piet van der Ploeg,Dalton Plan: Origins and Theory of Dalton Education,2013.
- ^Leonard Schlup; Stephen H. Paschen (2009).Librarianship in Gilded Age America: An Anthology of Writings, 1868–1901.McFarland. p. 158.ISBN9780786454839.RetrievedDecember 30,2015.
- ^The Once and Future Podcast
- ^Turk Wendell
Further reading
[edit]- Couch, F. L., ed. (1922).Dalton and the World War: Being the Story of the Service Rendered Their Country by the People of Dalton, Massachusetts in the World War of 1917-1918.Dalton, Mass.: Benjamin F. Sullivan Post No. 155 of theAmerican Legion.OCLC40185539– viaInternet Archive.
External links
[edit]
- Government
- General information
- Benjamin F. Sullivan Post No. 155of theAmerican Legion
- Central Berkshire Regional School DistrictatWest Corporation
Geographic data related toDalton, MassachusettsatOpenStreetMap- Saint Agnes Catholic Communityat eChalk (echalk )
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