Editing Monterey, Massachusetts

{{Other uses|Monterey (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Monterey, Massachusetts
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = Monterey-Lake Garfield.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = [[Lake Garfield]]
|image_seal               = Seal of Monterey, Massachusetts.png
|image_flag               = 
|image_map                = Berkshire County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Monterey highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Berkshire County, Massachusetts|Berkshire County]] and the state of [[Massachusetts]].
|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        = [[Berkshire County, Massachusetts|Berkshire]]
|established_title        = Settled
|established_date         = 1739
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1847
|established_title3       = 
|established_date3        = 
|government_type          = [[Open town meeting]]
|leader_title             = <!--[[Administrative Assistant]]-->
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = <!--Board of <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Selectmen-->
|leader_name1             = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 71.0
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 68.5
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 2.5
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|population_as_of         = 2020
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|population_total         = 1095
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|elevation_m              = 379
|elevation_ft             = 1244
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|10|45|N|73|12|45|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
|website                  = {{URL|www.montereyma.gov}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = 01245 (Monterey)<br/>01230 ([[Great Barrington, Massachusetts|Great Barrington]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 413|413]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 25-42460
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0618270
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Monterey''' is a small [[New England town|town]] in [[Berkshire County, Massachusetts|Berkshire County]], [[Massachusetts]], United States. It is part of the [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]], [[Massachusetts]] [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The population was 1,095 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2500342460| title=Census - Geography Profile: Monterey town, Berkshire County, Massachusetts| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=November 14, 2021}}</ref>

== History ==
[[Image:Monterey Town Center.jpg|thumb|left|Monterey General Store, with the post office to the right]]
Prior to settlement by European-American colonists, the area of Monterey was inhabited by [[Mahican]]s, the local [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] tribe. Monterey was first settled by colonists in 1739 as a part of Housatonic Township Number One. The township had two villages, along Hop Brook to the north (modern [[Tyringham, Massachusetts|Tyringham]]) and [[Konkapot River]] in the south (modern Monterey). The town was officially incorporated as Tyringham in 1767. In the earliest days of 1776, General [[Henry Knox]] passed through the town, bringing cannons from [[Fort Ticonderoga]] in New York to aid in ending the [[Siege of Boston]]. Today, the path he took is known as the [[Henry Knox Trail]]. However, the long divide between the two towns led to their separation in 1847. Previously called Green Woods or South Tyringham, the local people voted to name the new town Monterey to commemorate the [[Battle of Monterey]] that took place a year earlier in the [[Mexican–American War]]. Palo Alto and Buena Vista were also considered, but thought to be "too foreign sounding".<ref>{{Cite news | last = Matthews | first = Richard | title = Proper Names: An appellative atlas of the Berkshires | newspaper = Berkshire | pages = 32 | date = October–November 1991 }}</ref> The town was mostly known for its sawmills, but today it is a rural community, known more for its recreational areas in the state forests and along Lake Garfield.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|71.0|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|68.5|km2|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|2.5|km2|disp=flip}}, or 3.53%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2500342460| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212143117/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US2500342460| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Monterey town, Berkshire County, Massachusetts| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=December 20, 2013}}</ref> Monterey is bordered by [[Tyringham, Massachusetts|Tyringham]] to the north, [[Otis, Massachusetts|Otis]] to the east, [[Sandisfield, Massachusetts|Sandisfield]] to the southeast, [[New Marlborough, Massachusetts|New Marlborough]] to the south, and [[Great Barrington, Massachusetts|Great Barrington]] to the west. Monterey lies {{convert|21|mi}} south-southeast of [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]], {{convert|37|mi}} west of [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]], and {{convert|124|mi}} west of [[Boston]].

Monterey lies in the southern end of [[the Berkshires]], at the headwaters of the [[Konkapot River]]. The river rises from Lake Garfield, which is surrounded by several hills, and [[Lake Buel]], which lies along the New Marlborough town line. Much of the northwest corner of town is dominated by Mount Wilcox and the lower portion of [[Beartown State Forest]]. The state forest is crossed by the [[Appalachian Trail]], which crosses from Great Barrington, below the peak of the mountain, and on to Sky Hill in Tyringham.

Monterey lies along [[Massachusetts Route 23]], the main east-west route through town. Near the Great Barrington line, [[Massachusetts Route 57|Route 57]] begins and heads eastward, passing Lake Buel before heading into New Marlborough. Route 57 also carries [[Massachusetts Route 183|Route 183]], which is combined with Route 23 west of the junction, southward towards Connecticut. There are also several non-state highways which connect the town to its other neighbors. Most of the population is centered around Route 23, especially near Lake Garfield.

The nearest interstate, [[Interstate 90]] (the [[Massachusetts Turnpike]]), passes through neighboring Otis, and its nearest exit is at [[U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts|U.S. Route 20]] in Lee. The nearest regional rail and bus service is at Great Barrington, which is at the end of a weekend service line to [[New York City]] via the [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority|MTA]] rail line (note: this refers to a discontinued connecting bus service to GB from the MTA's Wassaic, NY station).  [[Amtrak]] service can also be found in Pittsfield, along the east-west ''[[Lake Shore Limited]]''. There is a small regional airport in Great Barrington, The Walter J Koladza Airport, but it is limited to private flights and scenic tours. The nearest national air service at [[Bradley International Airport]] in [[Windsor Locks, Connecticut]].

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations | type=USA
 | 1850|761
 | 1860|758
 | 1870|653
 | 1880|635
 | 1890|495
 | 1900|455
 | 1910|388
 | 1920|282
 | 1930|321
 | 1940|320
 | 1950|367
 | 1960|480
 | 1970|600
 | 1980|818
 | 1990|805
 | 2000|934
 | 2010|961
 | 2020|1095
 | 2022*|1085
 | footnote=* = population estimate.  {{Historical populations/Massachusetts municipalities references}}
}}
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 934 people, 387 households, and 239 families residing in the town.  By population, the town ranks 21st out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 325th out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.  The population density was {{convert|35.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}, which ranks it 20th in the county and 325th in the Commonwealth.  There were 830 housing units at an average density of {{convert|31.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 96.90% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.54% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.21% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.32% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.21% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.75% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.07% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.50% of the population.

There were 387 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $49,750, and the median income for a family was $59,643. Males had a median income of $37,692 versus $22,656 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $30,992.  About 3.4% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

Monterey employs the [[open town meeting]] form of government, and is led by a [[board of selectmen]]. The town hall, police and fire departments are located in the central village, as is the town post office. The town's public library is a [[WiFi]] hot spot, and is a member of the regional library system. The nearest hospital, Fairview Hospital, is in neighboring Great Barrington.

On the state level, Monterey is represented in the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] by the Fourth Berkshire district, which covers southern Berkshire County, as well as the westernmost towns in Hampden County. In the [[Massachusetts Senate]], the town is represented by the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mass.gov/legis/citytown.htm |title=Senators and Representatives by City and Town |access-date=March 3, 2008 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929115141/http://www.mass.gov/legis/citytown.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The town is patrolled by the Monterey Police Department.

The Monterey Fire Department is a paid by call fire department that consists of approximately 25 members and one ladder truck, one engine/tanker, two rescues, one brush truck, and a rescue boat. The department responds to all emergency calls in the town, including fire and medical emergencies. The department also will provide mutual aid to surrounding towns when requested. The town firefighters train weekly and are all certified to the First Responder level. The department responds to approximately 150–200 calls per year. {{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

On the national level, Monterey is represented in the [[United States House of Representatives]] as part of [[Massachusetts's 1st congressional district]], and has been represented by [[Richard Neal]] of [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]] since the redistricting in 2013. Massachusetts is currently represented in the [[United States Senate]] by senior Senator [[Elizabeth Warren]] and junior Senator [[Ed Markey]].

==Education==

[[Image:Monterey School, MA.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Monterey School]]
Monterey is part of the Mount Everett Regional School District along with [[Alford, Massachusetts|Alford]], [[Egremont, Massachusetts|Egremont]], [[Mount Washington, Massachusetts|Mount Washington]], [[New Marlborough, Massachusetts|New Marlborough]], and [[Sheffield, Massachusetts|Sheffield]]. Students in Monterey attend the Monterey School for kindergarten and first grades, with second through sixth grades attending the Undermountain Elementary School in [[Sheffield, Massachusetts|Sheffield]], and [[Mount Everett Regional High School]] in Sheffield for grades 7–12. There are private schools in Great Barrington and other nearby towns.

The nearest [[community college]] is the South County Center of [[Berkshire Community College]] in Great Barrington. The nearest state college is [[Westfield State University]], and the nearest state university is the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]].  The nearest private college is [[Bard College at Simon's Rock]].

==Notable people==

* [[Karen Allen]], actress
* [[Edwin N. Chapin]] (1823–1896), postmaster and newspaper publisher

==Sites of interest==
* [[Bidwell House Museum]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.montereyma.gov/ Town of Monterey official website]

{{Berkshire County, Massachusetts}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Monterey, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Berkshire County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]