to Hatfield, where they produced a succession of Hatfield physicians, including Dr. Thomas Hastings (1652–1712); Dr. Thomas Hastings (1679–1728); Dr. Waitstill Hastings (1714–1748); and Dr. John Hastings (1765–1845). The first Thomas Hastings, aside from serving as physician to Hatfield and surrounding communities, was also the town's first schoolteacher. He authored a contemporary account of the devastating 1704 Indian attack on nearby Deerfield. Hatfield was the birthplace and hometown of Sophia Smith (1796–1870), the founder of both Smith Academy (the Hatfield public high school), and Smith College, the famous women's college in Northampton. Another notable resident was Rebecca Dickinson (1738–1812), a never-married gownmaker whose surviving diary, preserved in the collections of the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association in Deerfield, has served as the basis for scholarship in early American women's history. Geography Hatfield is located on the west bank of the Connecticut River at the mouth of the Mill River, north of Springfield and about west of Boston. It is bordered to the west by Horse Mountain (a typical New England granite glacial remnant) and the town of Williamsburg, to the north by the town of Whately, to the east and south across the Connecticut River by the town of Hadley, and to the southwest by the city of Northampton. The village of Hatfield is in the southern part of the town, next to the Connecticut River, while the villages of Westbrook, North Hatfield, and Bradstreet are near the northern border. West Hatfield is in the southwest part of town, next to the Northampton border. U.S. Route 5/Route 10 and Interstate 91 pass through the town, with access to I-91 from Exits 27 and 30, where it intersects with US 5/Route 10. The village of Hatfield is about east of Routes 5 and 91. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Hatfield has a total area of , of which are land and , or 5.51%, are water. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 3,249 people, 1,381 households, and 871 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,431 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.03% White, 0.22% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.05% of the population. There