Rural, close-knit community west of Springfield
Within Hampden County, the rural community of Russell lies just over 20 miles west of Springfield. Russell is one of 28 towns that comprise the so-called Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. The area is known for a slower-paced lifestyle that embraces the natural surroundings that include numerous rivers, farms and forested expanses lined with hiking trails. Historically the home of the Pocumtuc people and incorporated in 1792, Russell expanded from a modest, agricultural-based economy with the arrival of the railroad and the Industrial Revolution, becoming a major center of paper-production in the United States. The town was once home to three paper mills, which were the main employers in the area well into the 20th century. Though the mills have been shut down, Russell maintains its rural Hilltown identity, with a slate of year-round outdoor recreation and annual events – including fall foliage, maple sugaring, whitewater canoe racing and art shows – while still offering proximity to larger cities, including Westfield and Springfield. The town is 8 miles from Westfield, which has more shopping and dining options, and just under 25 miles from Springfield, the fourth-most populous city in New England.
Russell appeals to homeowners looking to live in a peaceful, wooded area with a strong sense of community. “It’s a small community; a lot of people know one another,” says Karen Ford, a Realtor at Park Square Realty who sells in the area. “When people go into town, it feels like family at the post office and the town hall meetings.” The overall CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, the lowest possible score.
Secluded lots in western Hampden County
This rural community isn’t tailored to pedestrians; apart from a portion of Main Street, roads in Russell don’t have sidewalks, and the area is entirely car-dependent. Two-lane roads cut through dense trees, and there is a wide variety of architectural styles throughout town. Small ranch-style homes typically occupy the lower end of the price spectrum – ranging from just over $100,000 to about $300,000. Larger ranch-styles, along with farmhouse- and colonial-styles, start at approximately $400,000 and can fetch up to $700,000. Lots are spacious – typically between one and two acres – offering privacy and tree cover.
Students zoned for Gateway Regional School District
Schools are located just north of Russell in Huntington. Gateway Regional School District, rated C-plus on Niche, serves the area. Students may attend Littleville Elementary School, rated C-plus. Gateway Regional Middle, rated C, has a student-teacher ratio of 9-to-1, which is reflective of the district as a whole and lower than the national average. Gateway Regional High is rated C-plus.
Driving through the Massachusetts Hilltowns
Russell is a car-dependent community. Interstate 90 runs east-west through the community and across the state. Jacob’s Ladder Scenic Byway, a 35-mile stretch of U.S. Route 20, winds through Russell and other Hilltowns, eventually leading to Westfield. Built in 1910 following the rivers and streams in the southern Berkshires, it was the first highway in the U.S. built for motorized vehicles and is a stretch of the longest highway in the United States; Route 20 runs from Massachusetts to Oregon and covers 3,365 miles in total. Russell is 8 miles from Baystate Noble Hospital and about 25 miles northwest of Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Connecticut.
Exploring the Westfield River and Berkshire Hills
Along the Westfield River, Woronoco Falls offers a scenic picnic spot by the falls where salmon used to migrate upriver. Visitors to the river can wade in the water at the base of the falls in warm weather, or take a short, flat hike in the surrounding woods. Strathmore Park’s covered picnic pavilion can be rented out for large gatherings along the Westfield River. Russell Pond has a sandy beach exclusively for residents of Russell where folks can fish and kayak. Russell is surrounded by forest, and the region is abundant with hiking trails in the Berkshire Hills.
With its rural setting within the heart of New England, Russell is prone to snowfall; it is not uncommon for the town to see over 50 inches of snow over the course of an average winter. But residents here benefit from dependable snowplow services that ensure drivers can get where they need to go: “That particular Hilltown doesn’t seem to have roads that get closed,” Ford says. “The roads get cleared.”
Russell’s local shops and restaurants
Russell has a couple of locally owned pitstops that carry grocery supplies and prepared foods. Cream of the Crop is one of them: shoppers there can get local raw milk and grass-fed beef and browse sections for nonperishables and frozen foods. The Breadbasket Bakery and Café offers espresso drinks and breakfast meals, freshly baked pies and cakes, deli items, and a small grocery selection. “It’s a cute Mennonite store,” Ford says. “It’s super nice and the service is great.” The family-owned Russell Inn Restaurant and Lounge has a casual atmosphere and serves pizza, sandwiches and hearty portions of pasta. Russell also has a Dollar General, which Ford says exceeds most peoples’ expectations: “People describe it as like a mini-Walmart,” she says. “It’s a really nice Dollar General store, recently built in last few years.” But for major hauls, Westfield offers more options like Walmart Supercenter, along with taverns and pubs, 8 miles away.
