4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 38 buildings. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1819.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Buckland’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Buckland is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns. All 2 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Buckland’s overall grade.
Massachusetts towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Massachusetts town has 46.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Buckland’s 231 sits above most of its state (79% of Massachusetts towns have fewer) while its 47 historic buildings outnumber those of 84% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1742.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.6 points).
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Buckland’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Buckland was first settled in 1742 as "No Town", as it was not currently part of either the village of Charlemont or Ashfield, which the land belonged to as one large town. A sawmill was set up that year by Othneil Taylor and Asaph White, and eventually settlement occurred. However, the townspeople did not want to cross the Deerfield River or travel the long distance to Ashfield Village to attend services, so they petitioned the Massachusetts General Court for a separate incorporation. The town was incorporated on April 14, 1779, as Buckland, presumably named for the abundant hunting in the area.
Buckland was the birthplace of Mary Lyon, founder of the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, now known as Mount Holyoke College.
Passages that mention Buckland, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Buckland centennial, September 10, 18791879 · page 31Read the page →
Read the text
A sentiment was given for the old men of Buckland, and Dea. Silas Trowbridge of Buckland was called upon to respond. He believed that the good seed sown by the temperate, industrious and religious fathers of Buckland would bear good fruit in after generations. He had spent the whole of his long life within the limits of the town. The next toast was to the young men of Buckland, and Charles E. Ward was called out as their spokesman. He quoted the maxim : Old men for counsel young men for war, but
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Buckland centennial, September 10, 18791879 · page 23Read the page →
Read the text
The first church society in Buckland dates with the settlement of the town, and Mr. Josiah Spaulding, who was settled between 1780-90, was the first permanent minister. I knew him perfectly well and worked for iiim a great deal. A noble old man he was. I have in my day heard many of the noted preachers of this country, but none of them have inspired me with the respect I have for the memoi-y of old Mr. Spaulding. His oddities no man could number, and I must mention a few. It is related of him that being at Ashlleld at an association he hitched his horse at the
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History of the town of Ashfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts from its settlement in 1742 to 19101910 · page 155Read the page →
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1867, and was incorporated October 3, 1868. There were fourteen constituent members and fifty-two when the church was incorporated. The church building was given by the remaining members of the Baptist Church in Buckland and was moved and put up in Ashfield in 1869. The inside was repaired in 1884, and in 1900 it was repaired and painted outside, also a slate roof put on. The parsonage was built in 1886.
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History of the town of Ashfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts from its settlement in 1742 to 19101910 · page 51Read the page →
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lives then running northerh' on the course designated to the Deerfield River to a point probably a mile and a half or so below Shelburne Falls, then going westerly as described, would take in a large share of the present town of Buckland. This survey must have been made in a very careless manner, or there was some mistake in copying the minutes, as by the sur\-ey the last line could not reach the starting point by several hundred rods.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Buckland, 1742 to 1977
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1742, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Buckland’s post office opened in 1819, and the first U.S. census counted 718 people here in 1790.
How does Buckland rank for history?
Buckland is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Buckland?
4 listings: 3 buildings, among them the Maj. Joseph Griswold House (listed 1972, the first), and 1 historic district, the Shelburne Falls Historic District, with 38 contributing buildings. 47 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Buckland?
46% of Buckland’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.6 points), against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town; the median home was built in 1950.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (9), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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