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'Williamstown' is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,424 at the 2000 census. It is known for being the home of Williams College. Williamstown is also home to the Clark Art Institute and the Tony-awarded Williamstown Theatre Festival which runs every July and August.
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Williamstown, please see the article Williamstown (CDP), Massachusetts.

Contents

History

Geography

Demographics

Notable residents

External links

History

Williamstown was first settled in 1749 and was officially incorporated in 1765. The town was originally named West Hoosac. A leading resident, Ephraim Williams, was killed in the French and Indian War, and left a significant sum to the town if they renamed it "Williamstown" and started a free school. The school eventually became Williams College.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 121.5 km² (46.9 mi²). 121.4 km² (46.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.04%) is water.
Williamstown is the northwesternmost town in Massachusetts; that is, it shares its northern border with Vermont and its western border with New York.
Wiliamstown is bordered on the north by Pownal, VT, on the east by Clarksburg, North Adams and Adams, on the south by New Ashford and Hancock, and on the west by Berlin, NY and Petersburg, NY.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 8,424 people, 2,753 households, and 1,693 families residing in the town. The population density was 69.4/km² (179.7/mi²). There were 3,053 housing units at an average density of 25.1/km² (65.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.79% White, 2.72% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 3.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races, and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.77% of the population.
There were 2,753 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% 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 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 15.3% under the age of 18, 27.5% from 18 to 24, 16.6% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,875, and the median income for a family was $67,589. Males had a median income of $50,011 versus $32,845 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,039. About 1.7% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

★ Jane Swift, former Massachusetts Governor, Lt. Governor and State Senator

★ Cole Porter, songwriter

★ Matthew Perry, actor, known for TV show Friends

★ John Bennett Perry, actor, father of Friends cast member Matthew Perry

★ Christopher Reeve, actor

★ Peter H. Hunt, producer, director (IMDB Resume of Peter H. Hunt).

★ William Henry Vanderbilt III, Rhode Island politician

★ Maggie Renzi, actress, producer

★ Joe McGinniss, author

★ Dick Farley, NFL player, Williams College football and track coach, College Football Hall of Fame member (2006)

★ Herbert A. Allen, businessman

★ Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of the Iranian monarchy

★ Albert Cummings, blues guitarist

★ Prince Hussain Aga Khan, the son of Aga Khan IV

★ James MacGregor Burns, historian, Pulitzer Prize-winning author

★ Fay Vincent, former commissioner of baseball

★ Dick Sabot, economist, scholar, farmer, and Internet pioneer. Co-founder of Tripod.com

★ Daniel Dewey, Representative to the Thirteenth United States Congress

External links

★ Municipal Government Website