View source for Chester, Massachusetts

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Chester, Massachusetts
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = Chester Town Hall, MA.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Town Hall
|image_seal               = ChesterMa-seal.png
|image_flag               = 
|image_map                = Hampden County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Chester highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in Hampden County in Massachusetts
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Massachusetts]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Massachusetts|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Hampden County, Massachusetts|Hampden]]
|established_title        = Settled
|established_date         = 1760
|established_title2       = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date2        = 1783
|established_title3       = 
|established_date3        = 
|government_type          = [[Open town meeting]]
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = <!--Board of <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Selectmen-->
|leader_name1             = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 96.3
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 94.8
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 1.5
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|population_as_of         = 2020
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|population_total         = 1228
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|elevation_m              = 183
|elevation_ft             = 601
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|16|45|N|72|58|45|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
|website                  = {{URL|townofchester.net}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = 01011 (Chester)<br/>01050 ([[Huntington, Massachusetts|Huntington]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 413|413]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 25-13485
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0619385
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Chester''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Hampden County, Massachusetts|Hampden County]], [[Massachusetts]], United States, situated in [[Western Massachusetts]]. It is part of the [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]] [[Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts|metropolitan statistical area]]. The town includes the [[Chester Factory Village Historic District]]. The total population was 1,228 in the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2501313485| title=Census - Geography Profile: Chester town, Hampden County, Massachusetts| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=November 13, 2021}}</ref>

==History==
Most of what is now the towns of [[Huntington, Massachusetts|Huntington]] and Chester were sold at auction (along with other parcels) on June 2, 1762, as Plantation Number 9, to William Williams for £1,500.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.huntingtonma.us/media/566 |author=Rev. J. H. Bisbee |date=December 1876 |title=History of Huntington}}</ref> It was incorporated as Murrayfield by the Massachusetts General Court on October 31, 1765. The town’s name was often confused with that of nearby Myrifield, also spelled “Merryfield” (now [[Rowe, Massachusetts]]) so the town petitioned the General Court to change its name to “Fairfield”. The General Court chose the name “Chester” instead and passed the act to change its name on February 21, 1783.<ref>Copeland, Alfred M.  1892.  A History of the Town of Murrayfield, Earlier Known as Township No. 9, and Comprising the Towns of Chester and Huntington, the Northern Part of Montgomery, and the Southeast Corner of Middlefield 1760-1783. Clark W. Bryan & Co. Springfield, Massachusetts. Page 142</ref>
[[File:Boston & Albany -- Chester Station 01.jpg|thumb|Chester Railroad Station]]
The Western Railroad (later [[Boston & Albany Railroad]]) opened to Chester on May 24, 1841.<ref>[https://explorewmass.blogspot.com/2010/02/map-birds-eye-view-of-chester.html Exploring Western Massachusetts -- History of Chester]</ref> In 1893 the [[Chester disaster|collapse of a railroad bridge in Chester]] killed 14 people.<ref>{{cite news |title=List of Dead Numbers 14 |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=September 4, 1893}}</ref>
{{Gallery
| title        = Historical images of Chester, Massachusetts
| align        = center
| Image:Chester, Mass. (2674461854).jpg
 | [[Lithograph]] of Chester from 1885 by [[L.R. Burleigh]]
| Image:PostcardChesterMABirdsEyeView1905.jpg
 | Aerial view of the town in 1905
| Image:Main Street, Looking East, Chester, MA.jpg
 | Main Street in 1910
}}

==Geography==
Set on the eastern edge of the [[Berkshires]], Chester forms the northwestern corner of [[Hampden County, Massachusetts|Hampden County]]. It is bordered by [[Huntington, Massachusetts|Huntington]] on the east, [[Worthington, Massachusetts|Worthington]] and [[Middlefield, Massachusetts|Middlefield]] on the north, [[Becket, Massachusetts|Becket]] on the west, and [[Blandford, Massachusetts|Blandford]] on the south. Chester is {{convert|21|mi}} southeast of [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]], {{convert|30|mi}} northwest of [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]], {{convert|115|mi}} west of [[Boston]], {{convert|60|mi}} southeast of [[Albany, New York]], and {{convert|150|mi}} northeast of [[New York City]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|96.3|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|94.8|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|1.5|km2|order=flip}}, or 1.56%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US2501313485| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Chester town, Hampden County, Massachusetts| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=August 3, 2017| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213161423/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US2501313485| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> It is drained by tributaries of the [[Westfield River]]. Many brooks flow into the [[Westfield River|Westfield]] throughout Chester. The [[West Branch Westfield River|West Branch of the Westfield]] flows through the western and southern parts of town and passes through the [[Chester (CDP), Massachusetts|village of Chester]], while the Middle Branch flows through the northern and eastern parts of the town, passing through the villages of North Chester and Dayville. The small village of Chester Center occupies high ground between the two river branches. [[U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts|U.S. Route 20]] follows the West Branch from the southeastern corner of the town to Chester village, then turns west up the valley of [[Walker Brook (Massachusetts)|Walker Brook]] on its way to the town of Becket.

==Temperature records==
On August 2, 1975, the temperature in Chester rose to {{convert|107|F}}. This remains the hottest temperature ever recorded in the state of Massachusetts, along with a similar reading in [[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]] on the same day. On January 12, 1981, the temperature at Chester fell to {{convert|-35|F}}, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Massachusetts. Thus, Chester is only one of three places in the United States which has recorded both of its state's [[U.S. state temperature extremes|extreme temperatures]], the others being [[Millsboro, Delaware]], and [[Warsaw, Missouri]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Record Highest Temperatures by State |publisher=National Climatic Data Center |url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/pub/data/special/maxtemps.pdf|access-date=June 20, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Record Lowest Temperatures by State |publisher=National Climatic Data Center |url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/pub/data/special/mintemps.pdf |access-date=June 20, 2013}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations | type=USA | align=right
 | 1850|1521
 | 1860|1314
 | 1870|1253
 | 1880|1473
 | 1890|1295
 | 1900|1450
 | 1910|1377
 | 1920|1302
 | 1930|1464
 | 1940|1284
 | 1950|1292
 | 1960|1155
 | 1970|1025
 | 1980|1123
 | 1990|1280
 | 2000|1308
 | 2010|1337
 | 2020|1228
 | 2022|1220
 | footnote= {{Historical populations/Massachusetts municipalities references}}<ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=November 23, 2023 | url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,308 people, 500 households, and 360 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|35.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 580 housing units at an average density of {{convert|15.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.24% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.15% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.46% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.08% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.31% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.76% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.30% of the population.

There were 500 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,816, and the median income for a family was $51,932. Males had a median income of $38,083 versus $25,789 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $18,098.  About 2.9% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Library==
The Chester public library was established in 1894.<ref>Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts. [https://books.google.com/books?id=gbUYAQAAIAAJ v.9] (1899)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.townofchester.net/chestermass/id16.html |title=Hamilton Memorial Library |access-date=November 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027170647/http://www.townofchester.net/chestermass/id16.html |archive-date=October 27, 2010 }} Retrieved November 9, 2010</ref> In fiscal year 2008, the town of Chester spent 1.04% ($28,512) of its budget on its public library—some $22 per person.<ref>July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008; cf. The FY2008 Municipal Pie: What's Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2009. Available: [http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/repmunicpie/index.php Municipal Pie Reports] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123010127/http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/repmunicpie/index.php |date=January 23, 2012 }}. Retrieved August 4, 2010</ref>

== Theater ==
Chester is home to [[Chester Theatre Company]], a professional summer theater founded in 1990.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/05/16/vincent-dowling-irish-actor-director-cofounded-chester-theatre-company/2uHMrE6KwmwxYcvcbvEsKO/story.html|title=Vincent Dowling, 83; Irish actor, director cofounded Chester Theatre Company |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=May 30, 2017}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Rowland Day]], congressman
* [[David Shepard (surgeon)|Capt. David Shepard]], American doctor and soldier; an early proponent of inoculation to prevent smallpox

==See also==
*[[Gateway Regional School District (Massachusetts)]]

==References==
<references/>
* ''Chester Folks: The Founders of the Town, Their Ancestors and Descendants''. Compiled by William S. Mills, 1923; Edited by Charles B. Moore, 1996. Available from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20060711031315/http://www.chestermass.com/Chester_Historical_Society/chester_historical_society.html Chester Historical Society]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311022212/http://www.mass.info/chester.ma/description.htm Chester, MA] by Narrative compiled by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), at MassOnline

==Further reading==
* {{cite report |title=MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Chester |publisher=Massachusetts Historical Commission |date=1982 |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/mhc/preservation/survey/town-reports/cht.pdf}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Chester, Massachusetts}}
* [http://townofchester.net/ Town of Chester official website]
* [https://www.chestermass.com/ Chester Historical Society]

{{Hampden County, Massachusetts}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Chester, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Hampden County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]