Buckland, Massachusetts | ||
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Town | ||
Buckland Town Hall
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Location in Franklin County in Massachusetts |
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Coordinates: 42°35′32″N 72°47′32″W / 42.59222°N 72.79222°WCoordinates: 42°35′32″N 72°47′32″W / 42.59222°N 72.79222°W | ||
Country | United States | |
State | Massachusetts | |
County | Franklin | |
Settled | 1779 | |
Incorporated | 1779 | |
Government | ||
• Type | Open town meeting | |
Area | ||
• Total | 19.9 sq mi (51.5 km2) | |
• Land | 19.7 sq mi (50.9 km2) | |
• Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) | |
Elevation | 690 ft (210 m) | |
Population (2010) | ||
• Total | 1,902 | |
• Density | 96/sq mi (37/km2) | |
Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | |
• Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | |
ZIP code | 01338 | |
Area code(s) | 413 | |
FIPS code | 25-09595 | |
GNIS feature ID | 0618159 | |
Website | town |
Buckland is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,902 at the 2010 census. The town shares the village of Shelburne Falls with neighboring Shelburne. The town center at Shelburne Falls is the western end of the Bridge of Flowers, a local tourist attraction.
Buckland is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Buckland was first settled in 1742 as "No Town", as it was not currently part of either the village of Charlemont or Ashfield, which the land belonged to as one large town. A sawmill was set up that year by Othneil Taylor and Asaph White, and eventually settlement occurred. However, the townspeople did not want to cross the Deerfield River or travel the long distance to Ashfield Village to attend services, so they petitioned the Massachusetts General Court for a separate incorporation. The town was incorporated on April 14, 1779 as Buckland, presumably named for the abundant hunting in the area.
Buckland was the birthplace of Mary Lyon, founder of the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, now known as Mount Holyoke College.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.9 square miles (51.5 km2), of which 19.7 square miles (50.9 km2) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km2), or 1.05%, is water. Buckland is located in western Franklin County, and is bordered by Charlemont to the north, Shelburne to the northeast, Conway to the southeast, Ashfield to the south, and Hawley to the west. Buckland's town center is located 13 miles (21 km) west of Greenfield, 40 miles (64 km) north-northwest of Springfield, and 103 miles (166 km) west-northwest of Boston.