Editing Plainfield, Massachusetts

{{short description|Town in Massachusetts, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Plainville, Massachusetts}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Plainfield, Massachusetts
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = Landscape, Plainfield, MA.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = A plain field in Plainfield, Massachusetts
|image_seal               = Seal of Plainfield, Massachusetts.svg
|image_flag               = Flag of Plainfield, Massachusetts.png
|image_map                = Hampshire County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Plainfield 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         = 1770
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1807
|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           = 55.1
|area_total_sq_mi         = 21.3
|area_land_km2            = 54.5
|area_land_sq_mi          = 21.1
|area_water_km2           = 0.5
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.2
|population_as_of         = 2020
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|population_total         = 633
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|elevation_m              = 511
|elevation_ft             = 1676
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = −5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = −4
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|30|55|N|72|55|00|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = {{ubl|01070 (Plainfield)|01026 ([[Cummington, Massachusetts|Cummington]])}}
|area_code                = [[Area code 413|413]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 25-54030
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0618206
|website                  = {{URL|plainfield-ma.us}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Plainfield''' is a [[New England town|town]] on the northwestern edge of [[Hampshire County, Massachusetts]], United States, about 25 miles east of [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]] and 30 miles northwest of [[Northampton, Massachusetts|Northampton]].  The population was 633 at the [[United States Census, 2020|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2501554030|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 14, 2021|title=Census - Geography Profile: Plainfield town, Hampshire County, Massachusetts}}</ref> It is part of the [[Springfield, Massachusetts]] [[Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

== History ==
[[Image:Plainfield Congregational Church, MA.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Plainfield Congregational Church]]

Plainfield was first settled in 1770, primarily by settlers from the town of [[Bridgewater, Massachusetts|Bridgewater]], and was officially incorporated as a district within the Town of [[Cummington, Massachusetts|Cummington]] in 1785, and as a town on June 15, 1807.  Plainfield is the youngest town in Hampshire County.

In the 1800s, Plainfield was a thriving agricultural community, primarily producing sheep and [[leather]] for [[leather tanning|tanning]]. With the widespread adoption of the [[steamship]], and the resultant [[globalization]] in the 1870s, the expense of importing both [[Lamb (food)|mutton]] and [[leather]] from Australia and New Zealand was greatly reduced. Consequently, the agricultural industries in Plainfield became less profitable, and the population declined substantially over the following decades.

Sixty-one men from Plainfield joined the [[Union Army]] late in the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. Six were killed in battle, or died as a consequence of their service, including resident Michael Bashaw, who died of dysentery at the battle of [[Wilsons Creek (Missouri)|Wilson's Creek]]. Of those who survived, many settled elsewhere after the war.

After over a century of population decline, modern Plainfield has experienced population growth since 1950.

==Geography==
The Town of Plainfield is situated in the scenic [[The Berkshires|Berkshire Highlands]]<ref>Egler, F. E. 1940. "Berkshire plateau vegetation, Massachusetts". ''Ecological Monographs'' 10:147–192.</ref> where Hampshire County merges into neighboring [[Franklin County, Massachusetts|Franklin]] and [[Berkshire County, Massachusetts|Berkshire]] Counties. Plainfield is part of the Hilltowns of [[Western Massachusetts]].

Plainfield sits 1620′ above sea level, and the peaks of West Mountain (at 2125′) are the highest elevation in Hampshire County.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|21.3|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|21.0|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi|km2}} (0.99%) is water.

Plainfield's waterways serve as the [[headwaters]] of the [[Westfield River|Westfield]] and [[Deerfield River (Massachusetts)|Deerfield]] rivers.

Plainfield is bordered by the towns of [[Cummington, Massachusetts|Cummington]], [[Ashfield, Massachusetts|Ashfield]], [[Hawley, Massachusetts|Hawley]], [[Savoy, Massachusetts|Savoy]], and [[Windsor, Massachusetts|Windsor]].

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations | type=USA
 | 1850|814
 | 1860|639
 | 1870|521
 | 1880|457
 | 1890|435
 | 1900|404
 | 1910|406
 | 1920|332
 | 1930|300
 | 1940|264
 | 1950|228
 | 1960|237
 | 1970|287
 | 1980|425
 | 1990|571
 | 2000|589
 | 2010|648
 | 2020|633
 | 2022|629
 | footnote=  {{Historical populations/Massachusetts municipalities references}}<ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=November 23, 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]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 589 people, 243 households, and 166 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|28.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 311 housing units at an average density of 14.8 per square mile (5.7/km{{sup|2}}).  The racial makeup of the town was 98.13% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.34% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.17% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 1.36% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.68% of the population.

There were 243 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. Of all households, 25.9% were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,250, and the median income for a family was $46,042. Males had a median income of $31,625 versus $26,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $20,785.  About 4.8% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
Plainfield is governed by a [[Town Meeting]] open to all registered voters in the town. Ongoing town matters are managed by an elected [[Board of Selectmen]] and other Boards and Commissions.  The town is part of the First Hampshire District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, represented by Lindsay Sabadosa, and the Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampshire Senate district, represented by Adam G. Hinds.

==Notable people==

* [[Erastus Newton Bates]], Illinois and Minnesota legislator
* [[John Brown (abolitionist)|John Brown]] (1800–1859), abolitionist who played a role in starting the Civil War
* [[William Cullen Bryant]] (1794–1878), poet, [[philosopher]]
* [[Ralph Ellison]], novelist, essayist.  African-American novelist, literary critic, scholar and writer
* [[Martha J. Lamb]], author, historian
* [[Charles McCarry]] (born 1930), author of more than ten novels and numerous works of non-fiction
* [[James Naismith]], inventor of [[basketball]]
* [[Talcott Williams Seelye|Talcott Seelye]], former [[U.S. Ambassador|United States Ambassador]] to [[Tunisia]] and [[Syria]], [[Arabist (political)|Arabist]]
* [[Charles Dudley Warner]], born in Plainfield on September 12, 1829, author, editor ''Hartford Courant''
* [[Marcus Whitman]] (1802–1847), missionary physician

==Points of interest==
* Plainfield Pond
* Deer Hill State Reservation
* Dubuque Memorial State Forest
* Shaw Hudson House; museum and historical home of note
* Old Millers site; one of eight mills on the Old Mill stream; Plainfield Historical Society.

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://plainfield-ma.us/ Town of Plainfield official website]
* [http://www.pvfa.org/ Plainfield Volunteer Fire Department]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20141218042606/http://plainfieldmahistory.org/ Plainfield Historical Society]

{{Hampshire County, Massachusetts}}
{{authority control}}

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