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Windsor, Massachusetts

Coordinates: 42°30′42″N 73°03′30″W / 42.51167°N 73.05833°W / 42.51167; -73.05833
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Windsor, Massachusetts
Town
Entering Windsor
Entering Windsor
Official seal of Windsor, Massachusetts
Seal
Location in Berkshire County and the state of Massachusetts.
Location in Berkshire County and the state of Massachusetts.
Coordinates: 42°30′42″N 73°03′30″W / 42.51167°N 73.05833°W / 42.51167; -73.05833
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyBerkshire
Settled1767
Incorporated1771
Government
 • TypeOpen town meeting
Area
 • Total
35.2 sq mi (91.1 km2)
 • Land35.0 sq mi (90.6 km2)
 • Water0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2)
Elevation
2,031 ft (619 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
899
 • Density26/sq mi (9.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern)
ZIP code
01270
Area code413
FIPS code25-80685
GNIS feature ID0619431
Websitewindsormass.com

Windsor is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The population was 831 at the 2020 census.[1]

History

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Windsor was first settled in 1767 and was officially incorporated in 1771. The town was named for Windsor, Connecticut, where many of the settlers emigrated from. Originally, the town was named "Gageborough" in honor of British General Thomas Gage, but was changed due to the general's Revolutionary War affiliation.

Geography

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Eugene Moran Wildlife Management Area

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91.1 km2), of which 35.0 square miles (90.6 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.49%, is water.[2] Windsor is mostly rectangular-shaped, and lies along the eastern border of Berkshire County with Hampshire County. It is bordered by Savoy to the north, Plainfield to the northeast and east, Cummington to the southeast, Peru and Hinsdale to the south, Dalton to the southwest, and Cheshire to the northwest. Windsor is 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Pittsfield, 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Springfield, and 120 miles (190 km) west-northwest of Boston.

Windsor is located on a plateau in the Berkshire Hills, and lies near the source of the Westfield River. The river runs southward through the northeastern part of town, flowing through Windsor State Forest. One of the river's feeder brooks flows through the Windsor Jambs, a series of rocky waterfalls. The town is dotted with wildlife management areas, including all of Eugene Moran Wildlife Management Area, as well as portions of the Chalet, Peru and Savoy Wildlife Management Areas.

Windsor is located at the junction of Massachusetts Route 9 and Route 8A, with the two running concurrently west from the junction. Near the northeast corner of town, Route 8A grazes the border (at which point it is combined with Route 116), with a small neighborhood lying around Windsor Pond.

The town has no bus or rail service, with the nearest access to both being in Pittsfield. The Pittsfield Municipal Airport is the nearest regional airport, and the town is located roughly equidistantly between Albany International Airport and Bradley International Airport, the two nearest airports with national service.

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1850897—    
1860839−6.5%
1870686−18.2%
1880644−6.1%
1890612−5.0%
1900507−17.2%
1910404−20.3%
1920403−0.2%
1930387−4.0%
1940314−18.9%
1950372+18.5%
1960384+3.2%
1970468+21.9%
1980598+27.8%
1990770+28.8%
2000875+13.6%
2010899+2.7%
2020834−7.2%
2022*818−1.9%
* = population estimate.
Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
Windsor Congregational Church

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 875 people, 328 households, and 248 families residing in the town. By population, Windsor ranks 22nd out of the 32 cities and towns in Berkshire County, and 329th out of 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 25.0 people per square mile (9.7/km2), and ranks 25th in the county and 334th in the commonwealth. There were 474 housing units at an average density of 13.5 per square mile (5.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.86% White, 0.34% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.11% of the population.

There were 328 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% 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 3.05.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,389, and the median income for a family was $57,500. Males had a median income of $41,053 versus $24,808 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,794. About 4.3% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

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Windsor Free Public Library

Windsor employs the open town meeting form of government, and is led by a board of selectmen. The town has its own services, including police, fire and public works departments. The town's public library is located adjacent to the town hall, and is connected to the regional library system. The nearest hospital, Berkshire Medical Center, is located in Pittsfield.

On the state level, Windsor is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives as part of the Second Berkshire district, represented by Paul Mark, which covers central Berkshire County, as well as portions of Hampshire and Franklin counties. In the Massachusetts Senate, the town is part of the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, represented by Ben Downing, which includes all of Berkshire County and western Hampshire and Franklin counties.[15] The town is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police.[16]

On the national level, Windsor is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district, and is represented by Richard Neal of Springfield. Massachusetts is currently represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren and junior Senator Ed Markey.

Windsor presidential election results[17]
Year Democratic Republican Third parties Total Votes Margin
2020 63.90% 370 34.72% 201 1.38% 8 579 29.19%
2016 60.31% 313 30.64% 159 9.06% 47 519 29.67%
2012 73.33% 385 24.19% 127 2.48% 13 525 49.14%
2008 71.84% 398 25.63% 142 2.53% 14 554 46.21%
2004 67.80% 358 31.25% 165 0.95% 5 528 36.55%
2000 53.76% 243 34.73% 157 11.50% 52 452 19.03%
1996 59.46% 264 21.62% 96 18.92% 84 444 37.84%
1992 48.69% 223 18.34% 84 32.97% 151 458 15.72%
1988 49.49% 194 49.74% 195 0.77% 3 392 0.26%
1984 35.88% 122 63.24% 215 0.88% 3 340 27.35%
1980 35.44% 112 46.20% 146 18.35% 58 316 10.76%
1976 47.47% 141 48.15% 143 4.38% 13 297 0.67%
1972 40.26% 93 59.31% 137 0.43% 1 231 19.05%
1968 34.00% 68 54.50% 109 11.50% 23 200 20.50%
1964 61.18% 104 37.65% 64 1.18% 2 170 23.53%
1960 35.47% 61 64.53% 111 0.00% 0 172 29.07%
1956 25.56% 46 74.44% 134 0.00% 0 180 48.89%
1952 25.00% 39 75.00% 117 0.00% 0 156 50.00%
1948 33.33% 44 65.15% 86 1.52% 2 132 31.82%
1944 31.48% 34 68.52% 74 0.00% 0 108 37.04%
1940 34.90% 52 64.43% 96 0.67% 1 149 29.53%

Education

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Windsor is a member town of the Central Berkshire Regional School District. All students in the district attend the Nessacus Regional Middle School for the middle grades, and Wahconah Regional High School for the upper grades. Both schools are located in Dalton. The nearest parochial school is in Dalton, and the nearest private schools are in Pittsfield.

The nearest community college is Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield. The nearest state college is Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, and the nearest state university is the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Point of interest

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Notable people

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References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Windsor, Massachusetts.
  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Windsor town, Berkshire County, Massachusetts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Windsor town, Berkshire County, Massachusetts". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  3. ^ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  4. ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  5. ^ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  6. ^ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  7. ^ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  8. ^ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  9. ^ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  10. ^ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  11. ^ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  12. ^ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  13. ^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. ^ Senators and Representatives by City and Town
  16. ^ Station B-4, SP Cheshire
  17. ^ "Election Results".
  18. ^ Suter, J. L. (1908). American Biographical Directories District of Columbia: Concise Biographies of Its Prominent and Representative Contemporary Citizens. Washington, DC: Potomac Press. p. 27 – via Google Books.
  19. ^ "In the Berkshires". New-York Tribune. New York, NY. June 22, 1906. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
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