New Salem, Massachusetts
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| New Salem, Massachusetts | |||
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Massachusetts | ||
| County | Franklin | ||
| Settled | 1737 | ||
| Incorporated | 1775 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | Open town meeting | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 58.8 sq mi (152.2 km²) | ||
| - Land | 45.0 sq mi (116.5 km²) | ||
| - Water | 13.8 sq mi (35.7 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 1,048 ft (319 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Total | 929 | ||
| - Density | 20.7/sq mi (8.0/km²) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 01355 | ||
| Area code(s) | 351 / 978 | ||
| FIPS code | 25-45490 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0618172 | ||
New Salem is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 929 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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[edit] History
New Salem was first settled in 1737 and was officially incorporated in 1775, named for the settlers from Salem that founded the town. New Salem now contains portions of Enfield, Greenwich and Prescott, Massachusetts, three of the four towns that were disincorporated in 1938 to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir. The land from the disincorporated towns gives the town, as well as the southeastern tip of Franklin County, its distinctive wedge shape. (The land previously was part of Hampshire County.)
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 58.8 square miles (152.2 km²), of which, 45.0 square miles (116.5 km²) of it is land and 13.8 square miles (35.7 km²) of it (23.44%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 929 people, 379 households, and 264 families residing in the town. The population density was 20.7 people per square mile (8.0/km²). There were 422 housing units at an average density of 9.4/sq mi (3.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.48% White, 0.75% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 2.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.86% of the population.
There were 379 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,688, and the median income for a family was $54,500. Males had a median income of $38,000 versus $27,188 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,234. About 3.8% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Notable residents
- William Stacy (1734-1802) and Benjamin Haskell are two noted New Salem patriots of the American Revolutionary War, honored by the New Salem sesquicentennial commission.[2]
- Elisha Hunt Allen, (1804-1883), member of the United States Congress from Maine; Consul to Hawaii[3]
- Mazi Kazemi, Note: not actual resident. See, "Florence, Massachusetts."
[edit] References
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Bullard, Eugene (sesquicentennial chairman): New Salem Sesqui-Centennial and History of the Town 1903, Athol, Massachusetts (1904) pg 21, 49.
- ^ (1967) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Marquis Who's Who.
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