Conway, Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
 Conway Town Hall | |
 Seal | |
 Location in Franklin County in Massachusetts | |
| Coordinates:42°30′35″N72°42′00″W / 42.50972°N 72.70000°W /42.50972; -72.70000 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Franklin |
| Settled | 1762 |
| Incorporated | 1767 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Open town meeting |
| Area | |
• Total | 37.9 sq mi (98.1 km2) |
| • Land | 37.7 sq mi (97.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0.19 sq mi (0.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 673 ft (205 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,761 |
| • Density | 46.7/sq mi (18.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Codes | |
| Area code | 413 |
| FIPS code | 25-15200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0618161[1] |
| Website | www |
Conway is atown inFranklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,761 at the2020 census.[2] It is part of theSpringfield, MassachusettsMetropolitan Statistical Area.
English colonists first settled Conway in 1762 as the southwestern portion of the Town ofDeerfield. The town was eventually separated and was officially incorporated in 1767. The town was named after GeneralHenry Seymour Conway, a leader in theBritish House of Commons during the repeal of theStamp Act. (Conway, New Hampshire, as well as other towns across the country, were also named for him.) The town was known for itssheep farming and other agrarian pursuits in its early years, with some industry along the South River. This was washed out in a dam break in 1869. Today the town is primarily a farming community.
Bardwell's Ferry Bridge, built in 1882, is an historic lenticulartruss bridge spanning theDeerfield River between Conway andShelburne. Today it is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. The town's Field Memorial Library was donated by native sonMarshall Field in honor of his parents. It was designed by architectsShepley, Rutan and Coolidge, and completed in 1901.
On February 25, 2017, an EF1tornado touched down in Conway. The tornado caused significant damage to localized areas. It was the first tornado in the month of February in Massachusetts' recorded history.[3]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.9 square miles (98.1 km2), of which 37.7 square miles (97.6 km2) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km2), or 0.47%, is water.[4] Conway is in the central part of the county, and is bordered byShelburne to the north,Deerfield to the east,Whately to the southeast,Williamsburg to the south,Goshen to the southwest,Ashfield to the west, andBuckland to the northwest. Included within the town boundaries are the historic neighborhoods of Burkville and Shirkshire. Conway is 10 miles (16 km) southwest ofGreenfield, 32 miles (51 km) north-northwest ofSpringfield, and 99 miles (159 km) west-northwest ofBoston.
Conway lies south of theDeerfield River, which comprises most of its northern border. TheBardwell's Ferry Bridge connects Conway to Shelburne across the Deerfield River. The town lies along the South River, which flows from Ashfield to the Deerfield River through the town, with many brooks feeding it as well as the nearby Mill River through Deerfield. The town is dotted with forests and hills, and is home to several state forests, including Conway State Forest,South River State Forest, and the Poland Brook State Wildlife Management Area.
Massachusetts Route 116 passes through the center of town, from Ashfield in the east towards Deerfield, along its way towards Springfield. Deerfield also has the nearest exits ofInterstate 91, the nearest interstate highway to the town. A stretch of freight rail passes through the northern part of town, along the banks of the Deerfield River, between Deerfield and theHoosac Tunnel to the west. The nearest passenger rail service can be reached at theAmtrak station inGreenfield, with the nearest bus service in Deerfield. The nearest small airport is inTurners Falls, with the nearest national air service being atBradley International Airport inWindsor Locks, Connecticut.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1776 | 905 | — |
| 1840 | 1,394 | +54.0% |
| 1850 | 1,831 | +31.3% |
| 1860 | 1,689 | −7.8% |
| 1870 | 1,460 | −13.6% |
| 1880 | 1,760 | +20.5% |
| 1890 | 1,451 | −17.6% |
| 1900 | 1,458 | +0.5% |
| 1910 | 1,230 | −15.6% |
| 1920 | 961 | −21.9% |
| 1930 | 900 | −6.3% |
| 1940 | 944 | +4.9% |
| 1950 | 873 | −7.5% |
| 1960 | 875 | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 998 | +14.1% |
| 1980 | 1,213 | +21.5% |
| 1990 | 1,529 | +26.1% |
| 2000 | 1,809 | +18.3% |
| 2010 | 1,897 | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 1,761 | −7.2% |
| 2022 | 1,760 | −0.1% |
Source:United States census records andPopulation Estimates Program data.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] | ||
As of thecensus[16] of 2000, there were 1,809 people, 692 households, and 512 families residing in the town. By population, Conway ranked twelfth of the twenty-six towns in Franklin County, and 295th of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 48.0 inhabitants per square mile (18.5/km2), which ranked sixteenth in the county and 312th in the Commonwealth. There were 749 housing units at an average density of 19.9 per square mile (7.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.73%White, 0.17%African American, 0.22%Native American, 0.50%Asian, 0.11% fromother races, and 0.28% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 692 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% weremarried couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. Of all households, 18.8% were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $56,094, and the median income for a family was $62,917. Males had a median income of $41,146 versus $32,273 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $25,605. About 2.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.
Conway employs theopen town meeting form of government, and is led by aboard of selectmen and a Town Administrator. The town offices, police station, fire station, post office and Field Memorial Library (donated to the town byMarshall Field and named for his family) are all located in the center of town. The nearest hospital, Franklin Medical Center, is located in Greenfield, as are most of the nearest state offices.
On the state level, Conway is represented in theMassachusetts House of Representatives by the First Franklin district, which includes the southeastern third of Franklin County and towns in north central Hampshire County. In theMassachusetts Senate, the town is represented by the Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin district, which includes all of Berkshire County, as well as much of western Franklin and Hampshire Counties.[17] The town is patrolled by the Second (Shelburne Falls) Barracks of Troop "B" of theMassachusetts State Police.[18]
On the national level, Conway is part ofMassachusetts's 2nd congressional district, and has been represented in the US Congress by House RepJim McGovern (D). Massachusetts is currently represented in theUnited States Senate by SenatorsEd Markey andElizabeth Warren.
Conway is a member ofFrontier Regional and Union 38 School Districts, which also includes Deerfield, Whately and Sunderland. Each town operates its own elementary school, withConway Grammar School serving the town's students from kindergarten through sixth grades. All four towns send seventh through twelfth grade students toFrontier Regional High School in Deerfield. There are several private, religious and charter schools located in the Greenfield and Deerfield area, with the nearest being theDeerfield Academy.
The nearest community college,Greenfield Community College, is located in Greenfield. The nearest state colleges areMassachusetts College of Liberal Arts inNorth Adams, and the nearest state universities areWestfield State University and theUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst. The nearest private colleges, including members of theFive Colleges andSeven Sisters, are located southeast in the Northampton area.
Municipalities and communities ofFranklin County, Massachusetts,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other villages | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
