Most of what is now the towns of Huntington and Chester were sold at auction (along with other parcels) on June 2, 1762, as Plantation Number 9, to William Williams for £1,500.[2] It was incorporated as Murrayfield by the Massachusetts General Court on October 31, 1765. The town’s name was often confused with that of nearby Myrifield, also spelled “Merryfield” (now Rowe, Massachusetts) so the town petitioned the General Court to change its name to “Fairfield”. The General Court chose the name “Chester” instead and passed the act to change its name on February 21, 1783.[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.2 square miles (96.3 km2), of which 36.6 square miles (94.8 km2) are land and 0.58 square miles (1.5 km2), or 1.56%, are water.[6] It is drained by tributaries of the Westfield River. Many brooks flow into the Westfield throughout Chester. The West Branch of the Westfield flows through the western and southern parts of town and passes through the village of Chester, while the Middle Branch flows through the northern and eastern parts of the town, passing through the villages of North Chester and Dayville. The small village of Chester Center occupies high ground between the two river branches. U.S. Route 20 follows the West Branch from the southeast corner of the town to Chester village, then turns west up the valley of Walker Brook on its way to the town of Becket.
Temperature records
On August 2, 1975, the temperature in Chester rose to 107 °F (42 °C). This remains the hottest temperature ever recorded in the state of Massachusetts, along with a similar reading in New Bedford on the same day. On January 12, 1981, the temperature at Chester fell to −35 °F (−37 °C), the coldest temperature ever recorded in Massachusetts. Thus, Chester is only one of three places in the United States which has recorded both of its state's extreme temperatures, the others being Millsboro, Delaware, and Warsaw, Missouri.[7][8]
Aerial view of the town in 1905Main Street in 1910
As of the census[20] of 2000, there were 1,308 people, 500 households, and 360 families residing in the town. The population density was 35.6 inhabitants per square mile (13.7/km2). There were 580 housing units at an average density of 15.8 per square mile (6.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.24% White, 0.15% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.
There were 500 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,816, and the median income for a family was $51,932. Males had a median income of $38,083 versus $25,789 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,098. About 2.9% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Library
The Chester public library was established in 1894.[21][22] In fiscal year 2008, the town of Chester spent 1.04% ($28,512) of its budget on its public library—some $22 per person.[23]
^Copeland, Alfred M. 1892. A History of the Town of Murrayfield, Earlier Known as Township No. 9, and Comprising the Towns of Chester and Huntington, the Northern Part of Montgomery, and the Southeast Corner of Middlefield 1760-1783. Clark W. Bryan & Co. Springfield, Massachusetts. Page 142
^"1950 Census of Population"(PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1920 Census of Population"(PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1890 Census of the Population"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1870 Census of the Population"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1860 Census"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^"1850 Census"(PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
^July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008; cf. The FY2008 Municipal Pie: What's Your Share? Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Board of Library Commissioners. Boston: 2009. Available: Municipal Pie ReportsArchived 2012-01-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2010-08-04
Chester Folks: The Founders of the Town, Their Ancestors and Descendants. Compiled by William S. Mills, 1923; Edited by Charles B. Moore, 1996. Available from the Chester Historical Society
Chester, MA by Narrative compiled by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), at MassOnline
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