History of Washington, Massachusetts, USA

Washington, Massachusetts
Berkshire county. This mountainous town is watered by branches of Westfield and Housatonick rivers. The soil is well adapted for grazing. In 1837, 5,209 sheep were sheared in the town, producing 15,627 pounds of wool, principally merino. There is found in this town a porous quartz, which is used as buhr stones, for mill stones; and is remarkable for resisting heat. Washington was incorporated in 1777. It is 122 miles W. from Boston and S.E. from Lenox. Population, 1837, 758.

This town is one of the many hundreds that show the veneration with which the name of the Father of his Country is every where regarded by this grateful nation; but this town, in point of time, is behind few or none of them.

The whole township is mountainous, and watered by sources of the Housatonic and Westfield River, and the soil is well adapted for grazing.

Distance from Lenox, 8 miles; from Boston, 120.

Washington, a post-village in Berkshire CO., Massachusetts, on the Western railroad, 138 miles W. by N. from Boston. Population of the township, 953.

Washington is a town of large territory and irregular form, situated on the Green Mountain range, in the central part of Berkshire County, 138 miles from Boston and 13 miles from Pittsfield, — having communication with both by means of the Boston and Albany Railroad, which crosses the northeastern section. The Washington summit on the line of this road is 1,456 feet above Boston mean-tide.

On the north are Pittsfield, Dalton, Hinsdale and Peru; on the east Hinsdale, Middlefield and Becket; on the south, the latter and Lee; the last also on the southwest; and on the west are Lenox and Pittsfield. The assessed area is 23,650, — which is, probably, some 2,000 less than the actual extent. There are 12,355 acres of forest, composed of beech, birch, maple, spruce and hemlock. In 1870 there were nine small water-power and one steam-power saw mills in the town; but at present only one small water-mill is reported. Great quantities of charcoal have been manufactured here. The land is very...

Washington, a post-hamlet in Washington township, Berkshire co, Mass., on the Boston & Albany Railroad, 13 miles S.E. of Pittsfield. Pop. of the township, 603.

Washington, a post-township (town) of Berkshire co., Mass., on the Boston and Albany R., 13 miles SE. of Pitts- field. Pop. in 1900, 377.