HANCOCK, MASSACHUSETTS

'Hancock' is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 721 at the 2000 census.

Contents

History

Hancock Shaker Village

Geography

Demographics

References

External links

History

Hancock was first settled in 1767 and was officially incorporated in 1776.

Hancock Shaker Village

In 1790, the Shakers established ''Hancock Shaker Village''. The Shakers were a religious order which believed in pacifism, celibacy and communal living. Worship could take the form of singing and ecstatic dance, which is why they were called the "Shaking Quakers," or "Shakers." The utopian sect is renowned today for its plain architecture and furniture.
After reaching peak membership in the 1840s, with 19 "societies" scattered from Maine to Kentucky, and west to Indiana, the Shaker movement gradually dwindled. Today, only one village remains in the control of the last Shakers, located at ''Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village'' in New Gloucester, Maine. ''Hancock Shaker Village'', now operated as a museum, is famous for its "Round Stone Barn," built in 1826. The barn is an early example of an American round barn.
Hancock Shaker Village was featured in Bob Vila's A&E Network production^[1] ''Guide to Historic Homes of America.''

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 92.6 km² (35.8 mi²). 92.5 km² (35.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.08%) is water.
Hancock is bordered on the north by Williamstown, on the northeast by New Ashford, on the east by Lanesborough and Pittsfield, on the south by Richmond, on the southwest corner by Canaan, NY, and on the west by New Lebanon, NY, Stephentown, NY, and Berlin, NY.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 721 people, 296 households, and 209 families residing in the town. The population density was 7.8/km² (20.2/mi²). There were 472 housing units at an average density of 5.1/km² (13.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.36% White, 0.28% African American, 0.55% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.
There were 296 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,347, and the median income for a family was $50,625. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,250. About 6.1% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

References

1. Bob Vila's Guide to Historic Homes of America. Bob Vila

External links

★ ''Hancock Shaker Village''

★ ''Hancock Shaker Village'', Shaker Historic Trail