Bernardston, Massachusetts is located in north-central Franklin County on the Vermont border.  A rural town, Bernardston encompasses just under 23.5 square miles and is home to approximately 2,100 residents.  The town is bordered by Guilford and Vernon, Vermont to the north, and the Massachusetts towns Northfield (to the east), Gill (southeast), Greenfield (southwest), and Leyden (west).

Children in Bernardston attend schools in the Pioneer Valley Regional School District.  The Bernardston Elementary School (serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade) and the Full Circle School (nursery school through seventh grade) are located in town; students then attend middle and high school in nearby Northfield.  Also located down the road is Northfield Mount Hermon School, a private secondary school in neighboring Gill, Massachusetts.

Like most Franklin County towns, Bernardston uses the open town meeting form of government, which is lead by a board of selectmen.  The town also has its own police and fire departments, a post office, public works department, and a library.

Bernardston center houses a mix of original architecture from the 18th through the 20th centuries, and agricultural land. Known for its mountain peaks and black slate quarries, the town has a distinctly New England landscape. Historically, Bernardston was one of the first towns in the state to begin commercial production of maple sugar and maple syrup, and the town produced a lot of corn and rye. Today, Bernardston’s agriculture focuses primarily on dairy farming.

While in Bernardston, take time to play 18 holes at the Crumpin-Fox Club, located off Parmentor Road. The ‘Crump’ (as the course is called by locals) is “Sixth Best in the State” as ranked by Golf Digest.  Club owners say that their “continuing goal is to provide an enjoyable and challenging golf experience and promote the values of the game of golf.”

Recently, there has been talk of a new business district in Bernardston, which will include Kringle Candle Co., a new candle factory, which expects to have retail and manufacturing space in Bernardston.

With new developments on the horizon, Bernardston retains its rustic, New England charm and is a fine example of Franklin County living.