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Lanesborough, MA

Lanesborough, Massachusetts
Town
Lanesborough Town Hall
Lanesborough Town Hall
Official seal of Lanesborough, Massachusetts
Seal
Nickname(s): New Framingham
(former official name)
Motto: Liberté Toute Entière (French)
"Liberty Unfettered"
Location in Berkshire County and the state of Massachusetts.
Location in Berkshire County and the state of Massachusetts.
Coordinates: 42°31′02″N 73°13′43″W / 42.51722°N 73.22861°W / 42.51722; -73.22861Coordinates: 42°31′02″N 73°13′43″W / 42.51722°N 73.22861°W / 42.51722; -73.22861
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Berkshire
Settled 1753
Incorporated 1765
Government
 • Type Open town meeting
Area
 • Total 29.6 sq mi (76.6 km2)
 • Land 28.8 sq mi (74.7 km2)
 • Water 0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2)
Elevation 1,130 ft (344 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 3,091
 • Density 107/sq mi (41.4/km2)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 01237
Area code(s) 413
FIPS code 25-34340
GNIS feature ID 0618267
Website www.lanesborough-ma.gov

Lanesborough is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,091 at the 2010 census.

One of the first Berkshire communities to be settled, Lanesborough was originally known as "New Framingham", carved from part of Northern Berkshire Township #6. Lanesborough was first settled in 1753 and was officially incorporated in 1765. It was renamed Lanesborough, for the Countess of Lanesborough, a friend of Governor Francis Bernard, who incorporated the town. The town grew with small industry in the early 19th century, most of which settled along Town Brook. Berkshire Pleasure Park was a major attraction at the turn of the 20th century. It was one of the trolley parks along what is now Route 8 on the eastern side of town.

Today the town includes many small businesses, but has little industry of its own. More people from Lanesborough are employed in nearby communities or at the nearby Berkshire Mall.

The town's most famous resident was Josh Billings, born Henry Wheeler Shaw. He was a popular humorist in the nineteenth century, rivaling Mark Twain for popularity at the time. Historic sites include the Old Stone School, an unusual stone one-room schoolhouse, built in 1832 from funds donated by Ephraim Bradley and which operated as a school until 1950. The building is currently used as a photography gallery and guesthouse.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 29.6 square miles (76.6 km2), of which 28.8 square miles (74.7 km2) is land and 0.73 square miles (1.9 km2), or 2.49%, is water.

Lanesborough is bordered by New Ashford to the north, Cheshire to the northeast, Dalton to the east, Pittsfield to the south, and Hancock to the west. The town center is 5 miles (8 km) north of Pittsfield, 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Springfield and 140 miles (230 km) west of Boston.


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