Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts Genealogy

United States Massachusetts  Berkshire County  Pittsfield

Brief History

 * Colonel Jacob Wendell of Boston purchased 24,000 acres of land originally known as Pontoosuck ("a field or haven for winter deer" in Mohican Indian) as an investment, planning to subdivide and resell the lots to other settlers. Clearing the land began in 1743, but the thread of Indian attacks ended the development until 1752 when many people from nearby Westfield, Massachusetts, began to settle the area which in 1753 was incorporated as Pontoosuck Plantation. The plantation and the near 200 resident became the Township of Pittsfield by 1761.

Adjacent towns: Berkshire Co.:  Dalton | Hancock | Lanesborough | Lenox | Richmond | Washington