At a glance

Settled: 1760.

Incorporated: 1775.

Named for: Revolutionary War Gen. Charles Lee (second-in-command to George Washington).

Population: 5,985 (2000 U.S. Census); 5,885 (2005 town census).

Area: 26.5 square miles.

Elevation: 888 feet (average).

Average annual snowfall: 71 inches (estimated).

Median resident age: 40.4.

Median household income: $41,556 (2000 U.S. Census).

Median family income: $49,630 (2000 U.S. Census).

Average house value: $219,766 (DOR, 2007).

Average property tax: $2,694, single-family home (DOR, 2007).

Unemployment rate: 5.7 percent (February 2007).

Races, national origin: White, 5,801; African-American, 37; Asian, 57; American Indian and Alaskan, 9; other, 44; mixed race, 36; Hispanic (various races), 149 (2000 U.S. Census).

Ancestries: Italian, 22.1 percent; Irish, 21.4 percent; U.S./American, 12.5 percent; English, 10.5 percent; French, 5.1 percent; German, 5.1 percent; French Canadian, 4.7 percent; Polish, 4.3 percent;

Other, 4 percent; Scottish, 2.1 percent; Scotch-Irish, 1.1 percent; Russian, 1 percent; Canadian, 0.9 percent; Dutch, 0.9 percent; European, 0.7 percent; Greek, 0.5 percent; Swedish, 0.5 percent; Eastern European, 0.4 percent; British, 0.4 percent; Danish, 0.3 percent; Welsh, 0.3 percent; Lithuanian, 0.3 percent; Slovak, 0.2 percent; Hungarian, 0.2 percent (2000 U.S. Census).

Official town Web site: www.lee.ma.us

Community and business Web site: www.townoflee.com

The town

is home to Sullivan Station, originally built as a railroad passenger depot in 1893 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Prior to this construction, passengers boarded and disembarked from a tiny wooden building across the tracks. The inconvenience of having to walk across the tracks to get to the village was one of the reasons for seeking a new structure. It remained the Lee Depot until 1971. The real estate was purchased from Penn Central in 1975 by the present owner, and it housed two businesses, Barritt Oil Co. and Iron Horse Realty until 1980, when the family restored the depot and opened it in 1981 as the Sullivan Station Restaurant. is among the Berkshire County communities noted for its show of support for high-school athletic teams. Utility poles along Housatonic Street (Route 20) are festooned with the names and numbers of players whenever a team competes in regional tournaments or championship contests. offers a "senior work-off program," which barters work done by seniors for the town for a $750 reduction in the following year's bill. There's also a taxpayer-supported fund to help the disabled elderly pay their local taxes. was the on-location site for much of the 1996 film, "Before and After," starring Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson in the tale of a New England family ostracized after their son disappears while under investigation for murdering a teenage girl. has Lee Middle and High School, which serves nearly 500 students, while Lee Elementary (pre-K through grade 6) has an enrollment of almost 400. The St. Mary Elementary School (pre-K through grade 8) is attended by more than 200 students. has more than 63,000 books and some 600 audio and video materials at The Lee Library. is home to October Mountain State Forest (shared with Becket, Washington, Dalton, Lenox and Pittsfield), the state's largest with 16,500 acres, and is traversed by the Appalachian Trail. The name "October Mountain" is attributed to writer Herman Melville, who was impressed by the view from his home, Arrowhead, in Pittsfield. The state forest originated from the former estate of William C. Whitney, President Grover Cleveland's Secretary of the Navy. and has Beartown State Forest (shared with Monterey, Great Barrington and Stockbridge), which offers more than 12,000 acres of hiking and seasonal activities; Benedict Pond is a magnet for swimmers and fishermen. The forest is populated with bear, deer, bobcats, fishers and other wildlife. A ski area was developed in the mid 1930s and was in use until the mid 1960s, with periods of inactivity during World War II and from 1955-1961.