History of Bernardston, Massachusetts, USA

Bernardston, Massachusetts
Franklin county. This is a township of superior land for agricultural purposes, considerably elevated, between Fall and Connecticut rivers. It was formerly called Fall Town. There was a fort here in 1746, when this part of the county was peopled mostly by Indians. It was incorporated by its present name in 1764. It lies 96 miles W. by N. from Boston, and 7 N. from Greenfield. Population, 1837, 878. Bald and West mountains afford delightful scenery:—the former is 630 feet above the waters of the Connecticut. Here are springs containing magnesia, sulphur and iron. Bernardston produced, in one year, 16,000 bushels of corn and rye, and 5,000 barrels of cider. There are 3,022 sheep in this town, and some manufactures of shoes, leather, palm-leaf hats, and scythe snaiths.

This town, with Leyden, was originally granted by the State to the officers and soldiers who were in the battle at Turner's Falls, in the town of Gill.

It was named Bernardston, in honor of Francis Bernard, who was Governor of the State from 1760 to 1769, and, by his attachment to the crown, unintentionally hastened the Resolution.

Fall River, a small stream, runs through the town, and falls into the Connecticut at Turner's Falls, between Gill and Greenfield.

The inhabitants are generally farmers.

Distance from Greenfield, 7 miles; from Boston, 96.

In 1735, the general assembly of the province of Massachusetts Bay granted a tract of land six miles square, north of Greenfield, including the present towns of Bernardston and. Levden, and a part. of Coleraine, to the officers and soldiers who were in the Fall Fight, an account of which may be found under the head of Gill. In consideration of the services and sufferings of these men, the tract above mentioned was granted to them or their descendants 59 years after the battle. From the fact that this battle took place at the Falls, the town took the name of Fall Town, which it was called for nearly 20 years. The first meeting of the owners of this tract of country was held at Northampton, in January, 1736, the next month after it was granted by the legislature. The proprietors were 97; among the names of these were the following: Atherton, Field, Hitchcock, Cook, Chamberlain, Alexander, Chapin, Connable, Dickinson, Edwards, Hoit, Lyman, Munn, Hunt, Smith, Wright, Pomeroy, Pratt,...

Bernardstown, a post-township of Franklin county, Massachusetts, on the Connecticut River railroad, 100 miles W. N. W. from Boston. Population, 937.

Bernardston lies midway of the northern border of Franklin County, 96 miles northwest of Boston. It has Vernon and Guilford, in Vermont, on the north; on the east is Northfield; on the south, Gill and Greenfield; and on the west, Leyden. The town is quite near six miles long by four wide, containing 13,994 acres, beside water surfaces and highways. Of this, about 5,000 acres is forest, consisting chiefly of chestnut and oak. In the village portions there are many maples and elms along the streets. The town is finely watered by Fall River, which. runs through the midst of it from north to south; Dry Brook on the east, and Mill Brook on its west, flow in the same direction. Couches and Shattuck brooks, coming in from the west and northwest, are the largest tributaries of the main stream.

The surface of the town is elevated and hilly, the principal settlements being in the beautiful valley of Fall River, which is flanked by mountains on east and west. Of these eminences, Bald...

Ber/ nardston, a post-hamlet of Franklin Co., Mass., on the Connecticut River Railroad, 7 miles N. of Greenfield. It has 4 churches, a public library, a school called Powers Institute, and saw-mills, a grist-mill, and a cutlery factory. Pop. in 1890, 770.