Monterey, Mass.

The Berkshires town of Monterey is the site of some of the most splendid resources in all of Berkshire county, namely Lake Buel, Lake Garfield, the Mill River, and Beartwon State Forest. No wonder, then, that Monterey, Mass. has been attracting artists and urban refugees since the early 1800s. People say that entering the town’s commercial, political, and social hub – the Monterey General Store, is like a trip back to the 1780s. Update – The store closed in April 2011. (Photo credit:Wikipedia User:ToddC4176)

Monterey, MA history, information, demographics

“Monterey used to be called Green Woods, an appropriate name. When the southern part of Tyringham became a separate town during the Mexican War, patriotic selectmen wished to name it in commemoration of General Zachary Taylor’s battles in Mexico and Texas, but Palo Alto and Buena Vista were too foreigh-sounding. Monterey was musical and not too hard to pronounce, so Monterey it became.” (The Berkshire Hills, by Federal Writers’ Project, © 1939, Berkshire Hills Conference, Inc.)

Monterey, MA facts:

• Town Hall: Grange Bldg.,Main Rd.
• Phone: (413) 528-1443
• Population: 934
• Settled/Inc’d: 1739/1847
• Elevation: 1,200′
• Demographic data: state.ma.us/
• Town website: montereyma.gov.