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Conway is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,761 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Conway was first settled by English colonists in 1762 as the southwest portion of the Town of Deerfield. The town was eventually separated and was officially incorporated in 1767. The town was named for General Henry Seymour Conway, a leader in the British House of Commons during repeal of the Stamp Act. (Conway, New Hampshire, as well as other towns across the country, were also named for him.) The town was known for its sheep farming and other agrarian pursuits in its early years, with some industry along the South River. This was washed out in a dam break in 1869. Today the town is primarily a farming community.

Bardwell's Ferry Bridge, built in 1882, is an historic lenticular truss bridge spanning the Deerfield River between Conway and Shelburne. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town's Field Memorial Library was donated by native son Marshall Field in honor of his parents. It was designed by architects Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, and completed in 1901.

On February 25, 2017, an EF1 tornado touched down in Conway. The tornado caused significant damage to localized areas. It was the first tornado in the month of February in Massachusetts recorded history.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.47%, is water. Conway is in the central part of the county, and is bordered by Shelburne to the north, Deerfield to the east, Whately to the southeast, Williamsburg to the south, Goshen to the southwest, Ashfield to the west, and Buckland to the northwest. Included within the town boundaries are the historic neighborhoods of Burkville and Shirkshire. Conway is southwest of Greenfield, north-northwest of Springfield, and west-northwest of Boston.

Conway lies south of the Deerfield River, which comprises most of its northern border. The Bardwell's Ferry Bridge connects Conway to Shelburne across the Deerfield River. The town lies along the South River, which flows from Ashfield to the Deerfield River through the town, with many brooks feeding it as well as the nearby Mill River through Deerfield. The town is dotted with forests and hills, and is home to several state forests, including Conway State Forest, South River State Forest, and the Poland Brook State Wildlife Management Area.

Massachusetts Route 116 passes through the center of town, from Ashfield in the east towards Deerfield, along its way towards Springfield. Deerfield also has the nearest exits of Interstate 91, the nearest interstate highway to the town. A stretch of freight rail passes through the northern part of town, along the banks of the Deerfield River, between Deerfield and the Hoosac Tunnel to the west. The nearest passenger rail service can be reached at the Amtrak station in Greenfield, with the nearest bus service in Deerfield. The nearest small airport is in Turners Falls, with the nearest national air service being at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,809 people, 692 households, and 512 families residing in the town. By population, Conway ranked twelfth of the twenty-six towns in Franklin County, and 295th of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 48.0 people per square mile (18.5/km² ), which ranked sixteenth in the county and 312th in the Commonwealth. There were 749 housing units at an average density of 19.9 per square mile (7.7/km² ). The racial makeup of the town was 98.73% White, 0.17% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.

There were 692 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. Of all households, 18.8% were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24,