The town of Adams, including what is now Adams and North Adams, was originally known as East Hoosac.

This township was first explored and surveyed in 1749, by a committee of the General Court of Massachusetts. They were instructed to lay it out six miles square. Not believing in the doctrine of instruction, however, it was laid out seven miles long, from north to south, and five miles broad, from east to west. It is the only town in Berkshire County of a perfectly regular form.

In 1750 Captain Ephraim Williams secured a grant of two hundred acres of land in the town, on condition that he would reserve ten acres for a fort, and build and keep in repair for twenty years a grist and saw mill.

In June, 1762, East Hoosac, with nine other townships, was sold at auction, for £3200, to Nathan Jones, who soon after received as partners in this land speculation Colonel Elisha Jones and John Murray.

In October, 1762, forty-eight building lots of one hundred acres were laid out, embracing the very heart of the township, mostly interval land along the Hoosac river and its south branch. In 1776, twenty more lots of similar size were laid out, and Israel Jones, having then become a resident, was authorized to admit sixty settlers, in accordance with the requirements of the General Court. Two years after, the remaining lands were apportioned among the settlers.

The town was incorporated October 15, 1778, with the name of Adams, in honor of Samuel Adams, the illustrious leader in the Revolution, the signer of the declaration of independence, and afterward Governor of Massachusetts. The first annual town meeting was held March 8, 1779, when Captain Phillip Mason was chosen moderator; Isaac Arnold, town clerk; Captain Phillip Mason, Captain Israel Jones and Captain Reuben Hinman, selectmen. Captains were plenty in those days of war and commotion, and were naturally looked upon as the leading men in civil as well as military affairs. Captain Reuben Hinman was also chosen town treasurer. The meeting was adjourned till March 22, when Luther Rich, David Jewell and Eleazer Brown were chosen assessors; Elias Jones, Gideon Smith, Jonathan Husse, Stephen Smith. Phillip Mason, Ruluff White, Oliver Parker, Johnathan Hale and Daniel Sherman, surveyors of highways; Lemuel Levenworth, collector, (he was superceded June 17 by Justus Holt); William Barker, collector of taxes; Edmond Jenks, Benjamin Baker, William Smith, Jedediah Hurd and John Kilburn, committee of safety. Their business was to watch and thwart the tories, Indians, British and other enemies of American liberty. Similar officers existed in all the towns, and kept the courage of the people of New England from slumbering.

The first town tax on record was £100, for making and repairing the highways, to be paid in labor at two shillings six pence per day, or Indian corn at two shillings six pence per bushel. The building and support of the roads was then, as now, a heavy burden. A stony soil, rapid running streams, enormous tree stumps and steep hillsides must have made the travelling anything but desirable in olden times. It was voted to pay the collector of taxes nine pence on the pound for collecting of rates. This was equal to 3 3-4 per cent. The collector of the present day gets 11-16 of 1 per cent. for his work.

The pay of town officers was not so large as to cause much wire-pulling to get offices. For the first year the bills of the selectmen were as follows: Reuben Hinman, one pound, thirteen shillings; Phillip Mason, nine shillings; Isreal Jones, eighteen shillings, receiving thirty-six for one, Continental money having depreciated to less than three cents on the dollar. The assessors were each allowed £3 for their services, at the ratio of forty for one. The practice of sinking taxes began in the very first year, nineteen pounds and twelve shillings due from six different unfortunates, were abated in the collectors’ bills.

The number of voters at the time of the town’s organization is not ascertainable. An estimate, however, may be formed from the vote cast April 19, 1779 in favor of forming a new state constitution. It was unanimous — 44 present — and a delegate was empowered to represent the town in a constitutional convention.