Ashfield is a 40 square mile town in the Berkshire foothills in the
southwestern corner of Franklin County. The town was originally named
Huntstown in 1736 as a land grant plantation, but was incorporated under
its present name in 1765 under the auspices of Lord Thurlow of Ashfield,
England.
From about 1812 to 1830, Ashfield was a center of the peppermint industry
and by 1825 several hundred acres of peppermint were under cultivation,
yielding up to forty pounds of oil per acre at a value of nearly $8 per
pound. Other small industries during the 19th century included pottery
making (an exhibit of which is at the Smithsonian Institute), production of
wooden medical splints, a creamery and several sawmills, gristmills,
woodworking mills, tanneries and maple sugaring. Of these, only maple
sugaring continued to flourish and Ashfield has become well known for its
maple products.
For decades, Ashfield was a quiet farming community with dozens of dairy
and apple farms dotting the hillsides and lowlands. In the past 40 years,
however, several farms have disappeared and the open fields and pastures
have returned to wooded areas. It is only in the last 20 years that more
people have been moving to Ashfield than leaving it. Lured by the cool
breezes and the scenic vistas, people from all walks of life have moved
from the cities. These bankers, attorneys, artisans, craftspeople,
writers, artists, tradesmen, technicians and others have turned Ashfield
into a cultural center.
Through all the years, the common theme has been that “small is better” and
that Ashfield’s role in the world is to be a haven from the world.
southwestern corner of Franklin County. The town was originally named
Huntstown in 1736 as a land grant plantation, but was incorporated under
its present name in 1765 under the auspices of Lord Thurlow of Ashfield,
England.
From about 1812 to 1830, Ashfield was a center of the peppermint industry
and by 1825 several hundred acres of peppermint were under cultivation,
yielding up to forty pounds of oil per acre at a value of nearly $8 per
pound. Other small industries during the 19th century included pottery
making (an exhibit of which is at the Smithsonian Institute), production of
wooden medical splints, a creamery and several sawmills, gristmills,
woodworking mills, tanneries and maple sugaring. Of these, only maple
sugaring continued to flourish and Ashfield has become well known for its
maple products.
For decades, Ashfield was a quiet farming community with dozens of dairy
and apple farms dotting the hillsides and lowlands. In the past 40 years,
however, several farms have disappeared and the open fields and pastures
have returned to wooded areas. It is only in the last 20 years that more
people have been moving to Ashfield than leaving it. Lured by the cool
breezes and the scenic vistas, people from all walks of life have moved
from the cities. These bankers, attorneys, artisans, craftspeople,
writers, artists, tradesmen, technicians and others have turned Ashfield
into a cultural center.
Through all the years, the common theme has been that “small is better” and
that Ashfield’s role in the world is to be a haven from the world.
