Monroe, Massachusetts
Where Residents Find Help
A town of about 118 people does not run its own hospital, food bank, or big nonprofit. What Monroe has instead is a short list of shared and regional resources, and a Town Hall that can point you to the rest.
The Library and the Land
Two of Monroe’s most useful public resources are open to any resident. The town library belongs to the regional library network, which means a Monroe card can borrow from libraries across the area, not just from the shelves in town. And Monroe State Forest, run by the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation, covers much of the town: its Dunbar Brook Trail climbs to Spruce Mountain and the Raycroft Lookout, and it is open free to the public from sunrise to sunset for hiking, fishing, and cross-country skiing.
Safety and Health
- Emergencies: call 911. Monroe is patrolled by the Massachusetts State Police, Troop B, out of the Shelburne Falls barracks, and the town operates its own fire station.
- Nearest hospital: North Adams Regional Hospital, in North Adams, is the closest hospital to town.
- Public health: the town’s Board of Health handles local health questions; reach it through Town Hall.
Start at Town Hall
Because Monroe is so small, there is no long directory of local nonprofits to sort through. The most reliable first step for almost any need, from a town service to a referral to a county or regional program, is a call to Monroe Town Hall at 413-424-5272. In a town this size, that one number reaches the people who actually run things.