The Berkshire Hamlet That Peaked at 1,235 Pounds of Cheese: A Journey Through Cheshire, Massachusetts
Welcome to Cheshire, Massachusetts, where the most exciting thing that ever happened involved dairy products and where the population was 3,258 at the 2020 census. This charming Berkshire County town has spent the past 220 years trying to top its greatest achievement: a really, really big cheese wheel. Spoiler alert: they haven't succeeded, but they're having fun trying.
A Population Smaller Than Your High School Graduating Class
Let's talk numbers, because Cheshire sure loves to count things. With 3,190 people, Cheshire is the 277th most populated city in the state of Massachusetts out of 351 cities, which sounds impressive until you realize they're barely beating out places like Millville and Lanesborough. Population density: 120 people per square mile (very low) means you're more likely to bump into a cow than your neighbor, which honestly explains a lot about their cheese obsession.
The demographics are about as diverse as a jar of mayonnaise: The largest Cheshire racial/ethnic groups are White (93.2%) followed by Two or More (4.4%) and Asian (1.9%). The median age for Cheshire residents is 51.0 years young, suggesting that either young people flee faster than lactose-intolerant visitors at the annual cheese festival, or everyone's just really tired from carrying around the weight of their town's dairy legacy.
The Mammoth Cheese That Broke Democracy (And Maybe Some Backs)
Let's dive into Cheshire's claim to fame: the Mammoth Cheese' weighing 1235 pounds that was presented to President Jefferson at the White House on January 1, 1802. This wasn't just any cheese – this was a politically motivated dairy product. Elder John Leland was the town's Baptist minister in 1800 during the election between Jefferson and John Adams of Massachusetts. When Jefferson was elected president, Leland, who had lived in Virginia and knew Jefferson, influenced the farmers into contributing a full day's worth of curds.
But here's where it gets deliciously petty: they literally practiced political segregation with livestock. The farmers used only "Republican cows" because apparently even bovines needed to pass ideological purity tests in 1801 Cheshire. The Great Cheese symbolized Cheshire's satisfaction with the election of Thomas Jefferson to the Presidency in 1800. The idea of creating this monster among edibles was put forth by a baptist clergyman of Cheshire, Elder John Leland.
Today, A full size monument of the cheese press and a replica of the cheese itself has been placed in the center of town across from the post office. That's right – while other towns get statues of war heroes, Cheshire built a shrine to dairy equipment. It's the kind of monument that makes you wonder if they're taking the whole cheese thing just a little too seriously.
Modern Cheshire: Where Trails Pass Through Without Stopping
Modern Cheshire has all the charm of a town that's trying very hard to be noticed. Cheshire, MA is a charming town in the heart of the Berkshires, known for its scenic beauty, historic sites, and friendly community. Located midway between Pittsfield and North Adams, Cheshire is a convenient base camp for exploring all that the Berkshires have to offer. Translation: it's a great place to stay when you want to visit somewhere else.
The town does have some legitimate attractions. America's most famous hiking path, the Appalachian Trail, also winds its way through the center of town before heading up to the summit of Mt. Greylock. When rail traffic ended the rail bed was turned into a beautiful walking/bike trail called the Ashuwillticook. The trail runs along the shore of the reservoir and through the center of town before following the Hoosic River into Adams.
Economically, things are... interesting. In 2023, the median household income of Cheshire households was $72,028, which isn't terrible, but 17.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Cheshire, MA (120 out of 674 people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. Even the employment picture is quirky: The economy of Cheshire, MA employs 275 people. From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cheshire, MA grew at a rate of 12.2%, from 245 employees to 275 employees. Thirty new jobs! At this rate, they'll have full employment sometime around 2157.
The Town That Time and Elementary Schools Forgot
Cheshire's educational situation tells you everything you need to know about small-town budget realities. Cheshire's elementary school is located in Adams at Plunkett Elementary. Cheshire Elementary School was closed in 2017 as part of budget cuts in the school district. When a town of 3,258 people can't keep its own elementary school open, you know they're really stretching that cheese dollar.
But hey, at least they've got history! The Cheshire Historical Society Museum features exhibits on the town's history and artifacts from its past, while the Cheshire Cheese Press Monument commemorates the town's historic cheese-making industry. Because nothing says "rich cultural heritage" like a museum dedicated to the time your town made really good cheese.
The town does try to maintain some community spirit. Events such as Cruz Night with fireworks, summer block parties, community clean-up events, memorial day parades, and church functions bring people together. It's wholesome in that particularly New England way that makes you either want to move there immediately or run screaming back to civilization.
Cheshire, Massachusetts: where political cows once ruled, where the biggest tourist attraction is a monument to a cheese press, and where the Appalachian Trail passes through just long enough for hikers to wonder where everybody went. It's a town that peaked at 1,235 pounds of cheese and has spent the last two centuries trying to figure out what comes next. Spoiler alert: probably more cheese.
Think we were too nice? See the full roast on RoastMyTown.com – where no small town's dairy-based legacy is safe.