Editing Middlefield, Massachusetts

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Middlefield, Massachusetts
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = The Big House, built 1869, Middlefield MA.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = The Big House, built 1869
| image_seal         = MiddlefieldMA-seal.png
| image_flag         = Flag of Middlefield, Massachusetts.png
| image_map          = Hampshire County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Middlefield highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location in Hampshire 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  = [[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire]]
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = 1780
| established_title2 = Incorporated
| established_date2  = 1783
| 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     = 62.6
| area_total_sq_mi   = 24.2
| area_land_km2      = 62.6
| area_land_sq_mi    = 24.2
| area_water_km2     = 0.0
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.0
| population_as_of   = 2020
| settlement_type    = [[New England town|Town]]
| population_total   = 385
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| elevation_m        = 511
| elevation_ft       = 1677
| timezone           = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset         = −5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −4
| coordinates        = {{coord|42|20|54|N|73|00|56|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = {{ubl|01243 (Middlefield)|01011 ([[Chester, Massachusetts|Chester]])|01050 ([[Huntington, Massachusetts|Huntington]])}}
| area_code          = [[Area code 413|413]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 25-40990
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 0618204
| website            = {{URL|www.middlefield-ma.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Middlefield''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire County]], [[Massachusetts]], United States. The population was 385 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2501540990|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 14, 2021|title=Census - Geography Profile: Middlefield town, Hampshire County, Massachusetts}}</ref> It is part of the [[Springfield, Massachusetts]] [[Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

== History ==
Middlefield was first settled in 1780 and was officially incorporated in 1783.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Edward Church |title=A History of the Town of Middlefield, Massachusetts |last2=Smith |first2=Phillip Mack |last3=Smith |first3=Theodore Clark |year=1924 |isbn=9780832822605 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|24.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|24.2|sqmi|km2}} is land and 0.04% is water.

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations | type=USA | align=left | state=collapsed
 | 1850|737
 | 1860|748
 | 1870|728
 | 1880|648
 | 1890|455
 | 1900|410
 | 1910|354
 | 1920|280
 | 1930|197
 | 1940|201
 | 1950|295
 | 1960|315
 | 1970|288
 | 1980|385
 | 1990|392
 | 2000|542
 | 2010|521
 | 2020|385
 | 2023*|392
 | footnote=* = population estimate.<ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2023| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=May 19, 2024 | 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]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 542 people, 213 households, and 161 families residing in the town.  The [[population density]] was 22.4 people per square mile (8.7/km{{sup|2}}).  There were 263 housing units at an average density of 10.9 per square mile (4.2/km{{sup|2}}).  The racial makeup of the town was 98.89% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.18% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.18% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.18% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.55% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.55% of the population.

There were 213 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. Of all households 17.4% were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.8 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $50,938, and the median income for a family was $53,889. Males had a median income of $35,208 versus $30,375 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $24,137.  About 7.3% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
The town is part of the First Franklin District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, represented by Natalie Blais, and the Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampsen Senate district, represented by Adam Hinds.

==Notable people==

* [[Israel Bissell]], Patriot post rider
* [[Elijah Churchill]], Revolutionary War hero, recipient of one of the three Purple Hearts Washington presented
* [[Ebenezer Emmons]], geologist
* [[Martha Stewart]], businesswoman and television hostess

==Sites of interest==
* [[Glendale Falls (Massachusetts)|Glendale Falls]] 
Glendale Brook provides one of Massachusetts' most impressive{{peacock inline|date=March 2021}} waterfalls. The brook eventually feeds into the Westfield River, which has been federally designated as a Wild and Scenic River. The Glendale Falls site itself is part of the Glendale Falls Reservation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Glendale Falls |url=http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/pioneer-valley/glendale-falls.html |access-date=August 10, 2022 |website=The Trustees of Reservations}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Glendale Falls - MA |url=https://newenglandwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?name=Glendale%20Falls |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814123814/http://www.newenglandwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?name=Glendale%20Falls |archive-date=August 14, 2012 |access-date=August 10, 2022 |website=newenglandwaterfalls.com}}</ref>
* Middlefield Fair
The Middlefield Fair, a small country-style fair, established in 1855, is hosted annually by the Highland Agricultural Society, and is held in August over three days. The 2013 event was the 158th occurrence.   There are many events for attendees of all ages, including [[tractor pull]]s, pie eating contests, and agricultural contests.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Middlefield Fair |url=http://middlefieldfair.org/ |access-date=August 10, 2022 |website=The Middlefield Fair |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Gateway Regional School District (Massachusetts)|Gateway Regional School District]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/townreports/CT-Valley/mif.pdf ''MHC Survey Reconnaissance Town Report: Middlefield''], Massachusetts Historical Commission, 1982.

{{Hampshire County, Massachusetts}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Hampshire County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]