Brimfield, Massachusetts

Brimfield, Massachusetts
Town
Hitchcock Free Academy
Seal
Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Hampden
Settled	1706
Incorporated	1731
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	35.2 sq mi (91.2 km2)
• Land	34.7 sq mi (89.9 km2)
• Water	0.5 sq mi (1.3 km2)
Elevation	668 ft (204 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	3,609
• Density	104.0/sq mi (40.1/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	01010
Area code(s)	413
FIPS code	25-08470
GNIS feature ID	0619384

Brimfield is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,609 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Brimfield was first settled in 1706 and was officially incorporated in 1731.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91 km²), of which 34.7 square miles (90 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) (1.45%) is water. Brimfield is located in Western Massachusetts. Brimfield is bordered by Sturbridge on the east, Holland and Wales on the south, Monson and Palmer on the west, and Warren on the north. U.S. Route 20 and Route 19 both run through Brimfield. Interstate 90 cuts through the northern portion of the town in two sections.

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, Holland, Sturbridge and Wales.

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. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Brimfield spent 0.98% ($79,593) of its budget on its public library—some $21 per person.

Demographics

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1960	1,414	—
1970	1,907	+34.9%
1980	2,318	+21.6%
1990	3,001	+29.5%
2000	3,339	+11.3%
2010	3,609	+8.1%
* = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,339 people, 1,250 households, and 886 families residing in the town. The population density was 96.2 people per square mile (37.1/km²). There were 1,396 housing units at an average density of 40.2 per square mile (15.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.69% White, 0.51% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or 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 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

• William Eaton, military adventurer during the Barbary Wars.
• Erastus Fairbanks, former governor of Vermont.
• John Wells Foster, geologist, paleontologist and Massachusetts politician.
• 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.
• Richard Nelson Frye, scholar of Iranian and Central Asian Studies.
• Nathaniel Raymond, human rights investigator and anti-torture advocate.
• Fitz Henry Warren, Iowa State Senator and United States Minister to Guatemala.

External links

• Town of Brimfield official website