Shelburne is a vibrant small town near the Berkshires
Nestled among the Berkshire Mountains' foothills and Franklin County farmlands, the Town of Shelburne is a rural New England community incorporated in 1775. “People are here because they want to be, not because they have to be,” says Cathy Roberts, a longtime resident and local Realtor with Cohn & Company Real Estate Agency. “They’ll say that they find a synergy in Shelburne that they can’t find anywhere else.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Shelburne is home to just under 2,000 people, many of whom live in the Village of Shelburne Falls. Clustered around either side of the Deerfield River, the village is part of both Shelburne and the neighboring town of Buckland. Roberts notes that the village’s halves are connected by the Bridge of Flowers, an iconic western Massachusetts landmark. Shelburne also borders Greenfield, a small city with some urban amenities like supermarkets and interstate access.
For much of its history, Shelburne was heavily involved in the manufacturing industry. “When I was a child and growing up here, the town was so different. There were all these mills and manufacturers that all of our parents worked at,” Roberts says. Throughout the late 20th century, there was a prominent shift from manufacturing to industries like rural tourism and the arts, which, alongside agriculture, are now the biggest drivers of the community. “As manufacturing has gone away, we got lucky that we didn’t end up with blight and empty buildings, but rather the businesses and people here took them over and repurposed them,” Roberts says. “Now, our town is full of farmers, artisans, musicians and more. I affectionately call the area “our crazy quilt” because we have a lot of different people who all still fit together.”
Classic New England homes and farmhouses
Farmhouses and ranch-style homes on large lots are spread across Shelburne’s secluded hillsides, while the rest of the town’s homes are concentrated in and around the Village of Shelburne Falls. “In the village, there are beautiful Queen Annes, Victorians and colonial-styles,” Roberts says. “We are in an area of older inventory, so there are not a lot of new homes, but people will often fix up the older ones.” Craftsman construction and traditional New England architecture from the 19th and early 20th centuries are common throughout town. The median home price in Shelburne is about $450,000, with most properties ranging between $300,000 and $750,000. As tourism has blossomed in the Berkshires, more people are buying vacation homes in this area. “If visitors want to stay here, they won’t find any big city hotels – they’ll be renting out Airbnbs,” Roberts says. Land lots are also often listed for sale in Shelburne; pricing typically correlates with acreage and land development.
Boutiques, galleries and local restaurants in Shelburne
Shelburne residents can find a variety of local establishments and small businesses along Massachusetts Route 2, also known as the Mohawk Trail scenic byway, which runs across town. Off the route, most of the area’s shopping and dining options are clustered in Shelburne Falls’ Historic District right by the river. “We are blessed with some really good restaurants and chefs that know how to cook,” Roberts says. “If nothing else, you’ll eat well and drink some good coffee while you’re here.” Besides cafes and restaurants, a range of art galleries, boutiques and antique stores comprise the village’s walkable historic district. Shelburne Falls also has a couple of small food markets and convenience stores. “We also have some farmers markets and community farms,” Roberts says. “At places like Hager’s Market, people can own shares in the farm and come pick up whatever fresh produce they have available.” Big box stores like Home Depot and supermarket chains are 5 miles away in nearby Greenfield.
Hiking the Berkshires and playing local sports
Like other communities in and around the Berkshires, Shelburne is well known for its natural beauty. The town’s vast outdoor landscape is sculpted by valleys and foothills offering hiking trails, scenic wildlife and places to fish. In Shelburne State Forest, people can hike the Fire Tower Trail and summit Massaemett Mountain for far-reaching panoramic views. Also at the summit, hikers can access the Ridge Trail and trek to Mass Audubon’s High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary, where visitors can see, in addition to scenic views and abundant spring wildflowers, yellow lady’s slipper orchids that can reach up to two feet in height. The Shelburne Recreation Committee oversees community sports and athletic facilities, including town baseball fields and the Cowell Gymnasium, which has an indoor basketball court and outdoor tennis complex. The Berkshire East Mountain Resort is a 20-minute drive away and offers seasonal activities like skiing. The resort is located in the town of Charlemont, an increasingly popular outdoor destination.
Shelburne Falls is a popular filming site and event location
Despite its small size and remote location, Shelburne has served as a filming site for several major movies and television shows. “We’ve had a few big movies come to town and put our name on the map,” Roberts says. “‘The Judge’ was filmed here, and I actually ran into Robert Downey Jr. in town once and got a picture with him.” Other popular films shot here include “Labor Day,” “The Holdovers” and the “Dexter: New Blood” drama miniseries.
Events and celebrations are regularly held in Shelburne throughout the year. The Shelburne Falls Military Band was formed in 1835 and performs live concerts every summer. The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls hosts local events, holiday festivities and art exhibits. Other annual local events include the Bridge of Flowers Race and the village’s spring Plant Sale.
Academic opportunities at Mohawk Trail Regional School District
Shelburne is part of the Mohawk Trail Regional School District, which receives an overall C-plus rating from Niche. Pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade students can attend the C-plus-rated Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School, while grades seven through 12 are served by Mohawk Trail Regional School, a combination middle and high school with a B-minus rating. Buckland-Shelburne Elementary offers before- and after-school programs, and partners with local farms to get kids involved in the community. Older students at Mohawk Trail Regional School can enroll in Advanced Placement programs or take early college classes in conjunction with Greenfield Community College.
Getting around Franklin County
Massachusetts Route 2 – known locally as Mohawk Trail – is Shelburne’s main thoroughfare. Rural residential properties and farms line the backcountry roads branching off the route. In Greenfield, Route 2 merges with Interstate 91, a busy north-south highway that connects to major cities like Springfield. Greenfield is also home to an Amtrak rail station and the Baystate Franklin Medical Center, which has a 24-hour emergency department. Shelburne’s only bus stop is located outside the Arms Library building in Shelburne Falls. The stop is along the Franklin Regional Transit Authority’s Route 41, and the bus line offers daily scheduled service between Greenfield and Charlemont. The closest commercial airport is Springfield's Bradley International Airport, approximately 60 miles away.
