Northern hardwood forests have reclaimed the rural and remote Middlefield
Rivers, brooks and hiking trails surround Middlefield, a small town of almost 400 in the Appalachian Mountains’ northern hardwood forests. The community is about 40 miles from Springfield in the southwest corner of Hampshire County. “You have to want to go to Middlefield to end up there,” says local Kim Bergland, a Realtor with Red Horse Real Estate. “It’s all trees and isn’t on a main road or a commercial route.” Skyline Drive is the area’s main road, and the only establishments along it are the local library, church and fire station. Middlefield was incorporated in 1783, and while it may give the impression that it's always looked the way it does, 75% of the forest was cleared for sheep grazing in the early 1800s. Its thriving woolen industry declined by the 1900s. “The farms are mostly gone, and the forest has come back,” Bergland says.
State forests and wildlife management areas are on the community’s fringes
Local hunters and anglers frequent the wildlife management areas on Middlefield’s eastern and southern fringes. Out-of-towners might know the community for Glendale Falls, a scenic waterfall spot along Glendale Brook, which flows into the Westfield River’s middle branch a few miles downstream. The north side is home to Middlefield State Forest, butting Peru State Forest. The two feature hiking trails that meander through rolling hills under a tall canopy of hemlocks, red spruces and other hardwoods.
Middlefield has a variety of historic and custom homes that are rarely listed
Sales data in Middlefield is limited. “It is small, so there’s never a huge amount of inventory,” Bergland says. “Three or four houses for sale would be quite a few for Middlefield.” Roughly, prices range from the high $200,000s to $434,000. Most properties are on at least an acre. Bergland says there’s a good mix of houses, from historic Colonials from the 1700s on a few modest acres to getaway log cabins built in the 1980s on 10 or more acres. The community has a smattering of newer homes, custom-built on vacant lots, which are listed more frequently than houses. Middlefield gets an average of over 70 inches of snow annually, so winterproofing is essential.
Middlefield’s community centers, activities and traditions
A playground sits next to the Middlefield Senior Center, around the corner from the Blossom Center, a community hub for Middlefielders and folks in surrounding areas. It hosts various regular events, from book club meetings and group meditation classes to bingo nights, potlucks and B.Y.O.B. happy hours. The Middlefield Fair takes place across the street every August. Since its start in 1855, the three-day event has always offered classic country entertainment like ox and horse pulls.
Eateries and stores are few and far between, but Lee is only 15 miles away
The Left Field Greenhouse and Market Garden is the only place to buy produce or anything else in Middlefield, and they only accept cash or checks. Chester, about 5 miles south, has the closest store and restaurant. Chester Village Market is a small grocery store convenient for grabbing necessities and missed ingredients. Down the road, Carm’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week. The nearest major grocery store – Big Y – is in Lee, around 15 miles away. For retail therapy, Lee Premium Outlets offers a variety of brands, from Kate Spade to Eddie Bauer.
An elementary school nearby and a 15-mile ride to Gateway Regional School
The Gateway Regional School District serves Middlefield. Chester Elementary, C-plus on Niche, is less than 5 miles south in the town of Chester. Students attend Gateway Regional School, less than 15 miles away, for middle and high school. The middle school facility earns a C. The high school has a C-plus grade as well as welding and early education career programs.
From Skyline Trail to the closest emergency room, major city and airport
Skyline Trail is the only direct way to Middlefield. Town Hill Road intersects with it in the heart of the community and connects to several backroads, offering scenic – albeit much more roundabout – routes in and out of the area. The closest emergency room is Berkshire Medical Center Emergency Department in Pittsfield, about 18 miles away. It’s just over a 40-mile drive to Bradley International Airport and Downtown Springfield.
Written By
Micaela Willoughby
