BlockBefore
Decorative drawing: a small American settlement seen from a low hill. Not a photograph of this place.

Bernardston, Massachusetts

37 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1890 and the latest in 1998. It stands in Bernardston town. It lies in ZIP code area 01337. It stands on West Mountain. The Survey maps it on the Bernardston quadrangle.

Bernardston within Franklin County

Then and now

1890 to 1998

The same ground, surveyed 108 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Bernardston, surveyed 1998
Topographic sheet of Bernardston, surveyed 1890

Topographic sheets covering this place

37 sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

2 photographs,

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Connecticut River Railroad, Fall River Viaduct, Spanning Fall River, Bernardston, Franklin County, MA
Connecticut River Railroad, Fall River Viaduct, Spanning Fall River, Bernardston, Franklin County, MA
Unattributed, . Library of Congress
Bernardston Grain Mill, River Street, Bernardston, Franklin County, MA
Bernardston Grain Mill, River Street, Bernardston, Franklin County, MA
Unattributed, . Library of Congress

Fires nearby

24 since 2017

The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 24 fires within 5 miles of Bernardston between 2017 and 2020, burning about 15 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning16
Smoking3
Recreation and ceremony2
Other causes2
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
14 July 2020Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
11 June 2018Other causes3.0 acresMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
31 May 2018Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
31 May 2018Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
23 May 2020Smokingunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
17 May 2017Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
30 April 2017Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
30 April 2017Debris and open burning1.0 acresMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Franklin County

Specimens collected nearby

12 of 1,337 shown

Museums hold 1,337 specimens collected within 10 miles of Bernardston between 1847 and 1975: 558 Animalia, 443 Plantae, 224 Fungi, 112 Unrecorded. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A S Pease, A. Cronquist, A. J. Grout and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
Specimen of Dryopteris spinulosa (O.F.Müll.) WattDryopteris spinulosa (O.F.Müll.) Watt1896Leonard, F.E.Northfield, Mass.
A photograph of the species Cinna latifolia, not of this specimenCinna latifolia (Trevir. ex Göpp.) Griseb.1847Russell
unnamed (fossil)1867Othniel C. Marshblack sh, [property of T.M. Stoughton, 1871 Beers County map, previously owned by Dr. Roswell Field], S side of Connecticut River, Horse Race, Montague
A photograph of the species Carex prasina, not of this specimenCarex prasina Wahlenb.1892J. R. ChurchillMontague
A photograph of the species Carex torta, not of this specimenCarex torta Boott1892J. R. ChurchillMontague
Rhexia virginica L.1892not recordedMillers Falls
A photograph of the species Spiranthes ochroleuca, not of this specimenSpiranthes ochroleuca (Rydb.) Rydb.1894Swinerton, J.R.Greenfield
A photograph of the species Potamogeton bicupulatus, not of this specimenPotamogeton bicupulatus Fernald1895A. J. GroutLily Pond
A photograph of the species Carex plantaginea, not of this specimenCarex plantaginea Lam.1896Sydney HarrisWoods near Factory Village [Note: Location found by Geolocate is in Franklin County]
A photograph of the species Dryopteris intermedia, not of this specimenDryopteris intermedia (Muhl. ex Willd.) A.Gray1896Leonard, F.E.Northfield
A photograph of the species Cyperus lupulinus, not of this specimenCyperus lupulinus var. macilentus (Fernald) A.Haines1899J. A. BatesMiller's Falls
A photograph of the species Daedalea confragosa, not of this specimenDaedalea confragosa (Bolton) Pers.1927Hansbrough J. R.Greenfield

All 1,337 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries nearby

10 of 16 shown

The federal mineral resources record lists 16 workings within 5 miles of Bernardston: 8 past producers, 4 producers, 3 occurrences, 1 prospect. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Slate, Dimension, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Stone. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Bernardston Magnetite OccurenceIron, Sulfur, CopperOccurrenceReplacement
Bernardston Magnetite OccurrenceIron, Copper, SulfurPast Producer
Turner Falls Copper Occurence NorthCopper, Barium-BariteOccurrenceMalachite
Turner Falls Copper ProspectBarium-Barite, CopperProspect
Amphibolite Rock Quarry NStonePast Producer
Amphibolite Rock Quarry NStonePast Producer
Amphibolite Rock Quarry No. Bj5Stone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Amphibolite Rock Quarry No. Bj6Stone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Greenfield PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Mackin Sand and Gravel IncSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary

Every working recorded in Franklin County

Storms nearby

29 since 1995

The National Weather Service names Bernardston in 29 storm reports between 1995 and 2023: 21 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 3 flood, 2 hail. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 2011FloodNorth Bernardston$22,000,000After receiving eight to ten inches of rain associated with Tropical Storm Irene, major flooding occurred to portions of northwest Massachusetts, from Greenfield northwest through Colrain, Leyden, and vicinity. There were evacuations- exact amount unknown- and there were homes that were condemned. A house on West Leyden Road was reported to have been washed away in Leyden on the Green River. Multiple major routes/highways were affected in western Massachusetts, including Route 2, I-91, Route 20, Route 5, and Route 112 as well as numerous smaller roads. A flood survey along the Deerfield River indicated that in between Routes 5 and I-91, a large swath of farmland was inundated, and many homes within that stretch experienced various degrees of flooding. The Mohawk Meadow Country Club at the junction of the Connecticut and Deerfield Rivers was submerged. A covered bridge on Eunice Williams Drive over the Green River sustained severe damage and was no longer attached to its abutments. In Greenfield, the Arbors Assisted Living facility on Meridian Street was evacuated due to flooding.||The Deerfield River at West Deerfield set a new flood of record at 23.8 feet, the previous record was 17.71 feet set in April of 1987. The North River at Shattuckville set a new flood of record at 17.66 feet, the previous record was 12.32 feet set in October of 2005. In addition the Connecticut River at Montague crested at its highest level since the 1938 hurricane.
July 2005Flash FloodBernardston$1,200,000no account filed
January 2010FloodBernardston$150,000Numerous basements were flooded across Bernardston. The elementary school kitchen and cafeteria were also flooded.
September 2014Thunderstorm WindBernardston$50,000A microburst occurred in Leyden and Bernardston resulting in straight-line wind damage along a broken five and a half mile path.||In Leyden, several large trees and wires were downed along Mid-County Road, South County Road, Greenfield Road, and Eden Road. ||In Bernardston, large trees were downed on Railroad Street, Merrifield Road, and North Merrifield Road. Also on North Merrifield Road, a fallen tree destroyed a shed and damaged a portion of a house. Power poles were downed on Route 10 and Merrifield Road.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindBernardston$30,000Several large trees and three utility poles on Depot and South Streets were downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 2005Flash FloodBernardston$30,000no account filed
May 2010Thunderstorm WindBernardston$20,000Multiple trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
September 2016Thunderstorm WindBernardston$15,000Multiple trees were downed on Huckle Hill Road by thunderstorm winds.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindBernardston$15,000Wires on Northfield Road were downed by thunderstorm winds. In addition, a tree on South Street was downed onto a house.
May 2015Thunderstorm WindBernardston$15,000Trees and wires were downed onto Schoolhouse Road and Parmenter Road.
August 2013Flash FloodBernardston$15,000Heavy rain fell across Greenfield and Bernardston, flooding several roads and washing out several dirt roads in Bernardston and Stetson Drive in Greenfield. All washed out roads were closed.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindBernardston$10,000At 4:29 PM EST, multiple trees and wires were down on Shaw Road in Bernardston.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindBernardston$10,000no account filed
September 2016Thunderstorm WindBernardston$5,000A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindBernardston$5,000Wires on River Road were downed by thunderstorm winds.
September 2013Thunderstorm WindBernardston$5,000A tree on Brattleboro Road was downed by thunderstorm winds.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindBernardston$5,000no account filed
May 2002Thunderstorm WindBernardston$4,000no account filed
May 2009Thunderstorm WindBernardston$2,000Trees and wires were downed in several locations in Franklin County including: On Silver Land and Old Amherst Road in Sunderland, on Bald Mountain Road in Bernardston, and on Route 78 in Warwick.
August 2015FloodNorth Bernardston$1,000Keets Brook Road was flooded and impassable between Leyden and Bernardston. The road was starting to wash out at the time of the report.
September 2023Thunderstorm WindNorth Bernardston$800In Bernardston, there was a tree and power lines down on Brattleboro Rd.
May 2021Thunderstorm WindBernardston$500In Bernardston, MA a tree was down on Cross Rd.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindBernardston$500In Bernardston, a tree was down on Huckle Hill Road.
October 2020Thunderstorm WindBernardston$500In Bernardston, a tree was down, blocking the southbound offramp to Interstate 91 (Exit 28).
May 2012HailBernardston-no account filed
July 2008HailBernardston-no account filed
May 2000Thunderstorm WindBernardston-no account filed
July 1999Thunderstorm WindBernardston-no account filed
July 1995Thunderstorm WindBernardston-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Franklin County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Hales Crossing1.4 miles37
Cold Spring2.0 miles37
Mount Hermon Station3.2 miles36
Gill3.4 miles36
Mount Hermon3.4 miles36
North Bernardston3.6 miles37
Factory Village (historical)3.7 miles32
Riverside4.1 miles32

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 608710. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.