Editing Brimfield, Massachusetts

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Brimfield, Massachusetts
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = Hitchcock Free Academy - Brimfield, MA - DSC04631.JPG
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = Hitchcock Free Academy
| image_seal         = Seal of Brimfield, Massachusetts.png
| image_flag         = Flag of Brimfield, Massachusetts.jpg
| image_map          = Hampden County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Brimfield highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Massachusetts]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Massachusetts|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Hampden County, Massachusetts|Hampden]]
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = 1706
| established_title2 = Incorporated
| established_date2  = 1731
| established_title3 = 
| established_date3  = 
| government_type    = [[Open town meeting]]
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = <!--Board of <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Selectmen-->
| leader_name1       = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 91.2
| area_total_sq_mi   = 35.2
| area_land_km2      = 89.9
| area_land_sq_mi    = 34.7
| area_water_km2     = 1.3
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.5
| population_as_of   = 2020
| settlement_type    = [[New England town|Town]]
| population_total   = 3772
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| elevation_m        = 204
| elevation_ft       = 668
| timezone           = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| coordinates        = {{coord|42|7|22|N|72|12|5|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
| website            = {{URL|https://www.brimfieldma.org/}}
| postal_code_type   = ZIP code
| postal_code        = 01010
| area_code          = [[Area code 413|413]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 25-08470
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0619384
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Brimfield''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Hampden County, Massachusetts|Hampden County]], [[Massachusetts]], United States. The population was 3,694 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2501308470|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=November 13, 2021 |title=Census - Geography Profile: Brimfield town, Hampden County, Massachusetts}}</ref> It is part of the [[Springfield, Massachusetts]] [[Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
Brimfield was first settled in 1706 and was officially incorporated in 1731. Until 1812, Brimfield was originally part of [[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire County]].
The original Hampshire County included territory that is now in modern-day Hampden County, Franklin County, and Berkshire County as well as small parts of modern-day Worcester County.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|35.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|34.7|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.5|sqmi|km2}} (1.45%) is water. Brimfield is located in [[Western Massachusetts]]. Brimfield is bordered by [[Sturbridge, Massachusetts|Sturbridge]] on the east, [[Holland, Massachusetts|Holland]] and [[Wales, Massachusetts|Wales]] on the south, [[Monson, Massachusetts|Monson]] and [[Palmer, Massachusetts|Palmer]] on the west, and [[Warren, Massachusetts|Warren]] on the north. [[U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts|U.S. Route 20]] and [[Massachusetts Route 19|Route 19]] both run through Brimfield. [[Massachusetts Turnpike|Interstate 90]] cuts through the northern portion of the town in two sections.

Brimfield is located {{convert|22|mi|km}} away from [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]], {{convert|25|mi|km}} away from [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], {{convert|41|mi|km}} away from [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]], {{convert|65|mi|km}} away from [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], {{convert|105|mi|km}} from [[Albany, New York|Albany]], {{convert|71|mi|km}} away from [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]] and {{convert|153|mi|km}} from [[New York City]].

==Education==

Brimfield Elementary School, serving grades K–6, has its own [[school committee]], part of School Union 61. Brimfield students attend Tantasqua Regional Junior High School (grades 7–8) and [[Tantasqua Regional High School]] in Sturbridge. Union 61 and the Tantasqua district share administrators, including the superintendent, and both include Brimfield, [[Brookfield, Massachusetts|Brookfield]], [[Holland, Massachusetts|Holland]], [[Sturbridge, Massachusetts|Sturbridge]], and [[Wales, Massachusetts|Wales]].

[[Image:1899 Brimfield public library Massachusetts.png|thumb|left|Brimfield Town Hall, 1899]]

==Library==
The Brimfield Public Library was established by the dog tax. This had been allowed to accumulate in the town treasury until it amounted to $709.19, when, on April 9, 1877, the town voted to devote it to establishing a free public library; and a room was specially fitted up for it in the new town house, which was built in 1879.<ref>C.B. Tillinghast. The free public libraries of Massachusetts. 1st Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. Boston: Wright & Potter, 1891. [https://books.google.com/books?id=LusKAAAAYAAJ Google books]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brimfieldpubliclibrary.org/ |title= |website=www.brimfieldpubliclibrary.org |access-date=November 9, 2010}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}</ref> In fiscal year 2008, the town of Brimfield spent 0.98% ($79,593) of its budget on its public library—some $21 per person.<ref>July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008; cf. The FY2008 Municipal Pie: What's Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2009. Available: [http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/repmunicpie/index.php Municipal Pie Reports] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123010127/http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/repmunicpie/index.php |date=January 23, 2012 }}. Retrieved August 4, 2010</ref>

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations | type=USA
 | 1850|1420
 | 1860|1363
 | 1870|1288
 | 1880|1203
 | 1890|1288
 | 1900|941
 | 1910|866
 | 1920|778
 | 1930|884
 | 1940|1012
 | 1950|1182
 | 1960|1414
 | 1970|1907
 | 1980|2318
 | 1990|3001
 | 2000|3339
 | 2010|3609
 | 2020|3694
 | 2022*|3690
 | footnote=* = population estimate.  {{Historical populations/Massachusetts municipalities references}}<ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=November 10, 2023 | url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 3,339 people, 1,250 households, and 886 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|96.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,396 housing units at an average density of {{convert|40.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 97.69% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.51% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.36% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.06% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.72% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.60% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.29% of the population.

There were 1,250 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $50,181, and the median income for a family was $59,943. Males had a median income of $44,000 versus $26,695 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $23,711.  About 2.2% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Points of interest==
*[[Brimfield Antique Show]] – Brimfield is the site of the largest outdoor [[antiques]] show in [[New England]]. It takes place three times each year, for six days in May, July, and September.
*The Brimfield Trail is part of a planned trail system running from Palmer to Franklin. Currently a 2-mile section is open for walking and bicycling (fat tire) on the flood control land of the East Brimfield Dam.

==Notable people==

* [[Tabitha Moffatt Brown]], mother of [[Oregon]] and founder of [[Tualatin Academy]]
* [[William Eaton (soldier)|William Eaton]], military adventurer during the [[First Barbary War|Barbary Wars]]
* [[Erastus Fairbanks]], former governor of Vermont and a founder of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]
* [[John Wells Foster]], geologist, paleontologist and Massachusetts politician
* [[Richard Nelson Frye]], scholar of [[Iran]]ian and Central Asian Studies
* [[Samuel Hitchcock]] was an attorney and judge in Vermont
* [[Charles McEwen Hyde]], early missionary in [[Hawaii]], originally ordained in Brimfield
* [[Erasmus D. Keyes]], military General who led the Army of the Potomac during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]
* [[Nathaniel Raymond]], [[human rights]] investigator and anti-torture advocate
* [[Fitz Henry Warren]], [[Iowa]] State Senator and United States Minister to [[Guatemala]]
* [[Matt Shaw (baseball) |Matt Shaw]], [[Major League Baseball]] player for the [[Chicago Cubs]]

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Brimfield, Massachusetts}}
*[https://www.brimfieldma.org/ Town of Brimfield official website]

{{Hampden County, Massachusetts}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Brimfield, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Hampden County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]