Deerfield, town, Franklin County, northwestern Massachusetts; incorporated 1673. One of the oldest towns in the Connecticut Valley, it is located in an agricultural area producing corn, apples, peaches, and dairy products. Manufactures include plastics, cutting tools, candles, and pickles. Memorial Hall Museum, with exhibits of colonial furnishings; Historic Deerfield, Inc., a museum village with 13 historical homes and a research library; and Deerfield Academy (1797), a private secondary school, are here. In 1704, French and Native American raiders burned the town, killing some 50 inhabitants and taking to Canada about 100 captives, many of whom died or were killed during the journey. Population 4,517 (1980); 5,018 (1990).
