Housatonic, Massachusetts

Housatonic is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Great Barrington in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,109 at the 2010 census. It was named after the Housatonic River.HistoryThe village formed in the early 1800s around textile and paper mills. At its peak, Monument Mills, a textile manufacturer, occupied five factory buildings totaling and had 500 employees. Mill workers, many of whom were immigrants, were housed in tenements.Monument Mills closed in 1956. After undergoing a period of decline, the village has been revitalized by the presence of art galleries and related commercial activity. The town's Ramsdell Public Library is located in Housatonic. Monument Mills and Rising Paper Mill are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.GeographyHousatonic is located along the northern edge of the town of Great Barrington at . It is bordered to the north by the towns of Stockbridge and West Stockbridge. The Housatonic River runs through the center of the community. Massachusetts Route 183 enters the CDP from the south as Park Street following the east bank of the river, then crosses the river at the center of town and continues north on the west bank as Front Street.