Berkshire County Massachusetts Genealogy and History
County Seat: Pittsfield
Search Free Berkshire County Massachusetts Genealogy and Family History Records Online including census, cemetery, vital, military and other genealogical and historical records that can be used for your family history research.
Berkshire County, Massachusetts genealogy and family history page is a place where you can come in and research your genealogy and family history. We also do our best to provide a history of the area, to provide you with an overview of the time in which your ancestors lived.
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Berkshire County Massachusetts Genealogy Records Online
Berkshire County Massachusetts Biographies/Biographical Sketches
Berkshire County Massachusetts Cemetery Records
Berkshire County Massachusetts Census Records
Berkshire County Massachusetts Church Records
Berkshire County Massachusetts Cities & Towns
Berkshire County Massachusetts Land Records
Berkshire County Massachusetts Military Records
Berkshire County Massachusetts Obituaries
Berkshire County Massachusetts Tax Lists
- 1772 Tax List of Great Barrington, Berkshire County, MA
- 1815 Tax List of Alford, Berkshire County, MA
- 1816 Tax List of Alford, Berkshire County, MA
Berkshire County Massachusetts Vital Records
- Berkshire County Massachusetts Birth Records
- Berkshire County Massachusetts Death Records
- Berkshire County Massachusetts Marriage Records
Berkshire County History
The Mahican (Muh-he-ka-neew) Native American tribe lived in the area that now makes up Berkshire County until the early 18th century, when the first English settlers and frontiersmen appeared and began setting up farms and homesteads. On April 25, 1724, “The English finally paid the Indians 460 pounds, 3 barrels of cider, and 30 quarts of rum for what is today Berkshire County.” This deal did not include modern Sheffield, Stockbridge, Richmond, and Lenox, which were added later. Berkshire County remained part of Hampshire County until 1760.
In the 19th century, Berkshire County became popular with the American elite, which built what they called "cottages" throughout the countryside. The Gilded Age ended in the early 20th century with the income tax, World War I, and the Great Depression. In the 20th, century some of these cottages were torn or burned down, while others became prep schools, historic sites, or bed-and-breakfast inns.
Today Berkshire County is known throughout the East Coast and the country as the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It includes attractions such as Tanglewood, the Norman Rockwell Museum, Mass MOCA, and Hancock Shaker Village.
Genealogy Research in Berkshire County Massachusetts
Berkshire County Vital Records
Probate & Family Court (Divorce Records)
44 Bank Row
Pittsfield, MA 01201-6202
Phone: (413) 442-6941
Berkshire Athenaeum
Pittsfield's Public Library
One Wendell Avenue
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Local History Department
(413)499-9480 x 6
http://www.pittsfieldlibrary.org/
North Adams Public Library
Genealogy & Local History
74 Church St., North Adams, MA
Phone (413) 662-3133
Website: http://www.naplibrary.com/gen_local/
Adjacent counties
- Bennington County, Vermont (north)
- Franklin County (northeast)
- Hampshire County (east)
- Hampden County (southeast)
- Litchfield County, Connecticut (south)
- Dutchess County, New York (southwest)
- Columbia County, New York (west)
- Rensselaer County, New York (northwest)