Athol, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Athol is a town in Worcester County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 11,584 at the 2010 census.
, Scotland
. Athol means “pleasant place.”
Early residents subsisted on agriculture
and hunting
. By 1791, Athol had four gristmill
s, six sawmill
s, a fulling
mill, and a shop with a trip hammer
, all of which were operated by water power. The Athol Cotton Factory, built in 1811, was one of the first industries to serve a market beyond the local one. Through the 1800s, textile
, leather
, wood
, and metal
industries further expanded the market for goods produced in Athol. The construction of the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad in the 1840s fostered so much industrial growth that a second line connecting Athol and Springfield
was constructed in 1870. Construction of the Fitchburg Railroad
, an east-west line, came through Athol in 1879, on its way to the Hoosac Tunnel
and the Berkshires
.
The Athol Machine Company was established in 1868 in order to manufacture a chopping machine invented by Laroy S. Starrett. In 1881, Mr. Starrett established the L. S. Starrett Company
, known for making quality precision tools. The company remains the town’s largest employer to this day, and thus does Athol live up to the nickname "Tool Town".
As industries developed along the river valley, homes and stores grew up around the common located on the hill southeast of the factories. This area, today called Uptown, was the location of the first bank. The first trolley
lines, established in 1894, ran from Athol to Orange
, and additional lines soon provided efficient transportation to surrounding areas. Because of its development of industry, commerce, and transportation, Athol was the center of activity for the entire area at the turn of the century.
During the 1930s, the trolley lines closed due to the increased use of private automobiles, bus service, and the generally difficult economic times. When four Swift River Valley
towns were flooded to create the Quabbin Reservoir
, the Springfield railroad route had to be abandoned. Consequently, Athol’s growth leveled off as commerce became increasingly dependent on the Interstate Highway System
. Population reached a peak of 12,186 in 1955.
The Route 2 bypass of Athol was constructed in the 1950s, further limiting direct access to the downtown business district. The following years showed population decline, falling to a low of 10,634 in 1980. However, Athol’s population has risen gradually since that time and shows every indication of growing.
, the town has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which 32.6 square miles (84.4 km²) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) (2.46%) is water. The town is drained mostly by the Millers River
, which flows through the downtown area from northeast to west, towards the Connecticut River
. The Tully River flows into the Millers within town, and many other streams cross the town. Parts of Tully Lake and Lake Rohunta lie within town, as does Lake Ellis and several other small ponds. The soil of Athol is rough and stony, and the terrain is wooded and hilly, with elevations ranging from 500 feet (152.4 m) above sea level at the edge of the Millers River to 1282 feet (390.8 m) at the top of Pratt Hill near the Bearsden Forest. A large portion of the Millers River Wildlife Management Area lies within town, as does a small portion of Petersham State Forest.
Athol lies along the western edge of Worcester County, with Franklin County
to the west. It is bordered by Royalston
to the north, Phillipston
to the east, Petersham
to the south, New Salem
to the southeast, and Orange
to the west. From its town center, Athol lies 23 miles (37 km) east of Greenfield
, 25 miles (40.2 km) west of Fitchburg
, 35 miles (56.3 km) northwest of Worcester
, and 67 miles (107.8 km) west-northwest of Boston
. The vast majority of population is settled around the downtown area, with the rest of the town being relatively sparsely populated.
Athol lies along Route 2, the major east-west route through northern Massachusetts. It passes concurrently with U.S. Route 202
as a limited access highway through town, with its old route, now Route 2A, passing through downtown Athol. For 1.4 miles (2.3 km), Route 32 is concurrent with Route 2A, coming north from Petersham east of downtown before continuing north along the eastern edge of downtown towards Royalston.
The town still has its old train station downtown (the depot), along the Springfield Terminal rail line, formerly a part of the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad
. Before the filling of the Quabbin Reservoir
, Athol was the end of the Springfield, Athol and North-eastern Railroad, a spur line off the Boston and Albany Railroad
, a line which passed through the now-submerged town of Enfield
towards the main line in Springfield. A line of the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) bus line provides access between the town and Greenfield. A line of Montachusett Area Regional Transit (MART) provides service from Orange through Athol and into Gardner. The nearest general aviation airport to Athol is the Orange Municipal Airport
, with the nearest national air service airports being Bradley International Airport
to the south and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
to the north, both of which are an hour's drive away.
, Athol's economy has been primarily industrial. In the early part of the 20th century, local water power and rail service attracted manufacturers such as Union Twist Drill and the L. S. Starrett Company
to the area, leading to Athol's nickname "Tool Town." In the 1950s, when the Route 2 bypass, Interstate 495
and the Massachusetts Turnpike
diverted traffic to other parts of Massachusetts, Athol and other towns in central Massachusetts began a long economic decline.
By 1998, the commercial vacancy rate in Athol had risen to 18 percent. Despite downsizing, the L. S. Starrett Company continues to be the largest employer in town, followed by the Athol Memorial Hospital. Most of the remaining jobs in Athol are in the retail and food service industries.
In the 1960s, Athol and Orange
formed the Orange-Athol Industrial Development Commission to bring businesses to the area near the Orange Municipal Airport
. The Millers River Community Development Corporation, North Quabbin Housing Partnership, and a banking alliance also grew out of collaborative efforts. These groups succeeded in financing housing to middle-income residents, natives and others who were not accepted by traditional lending programs.
In the early 1980s, the state targeted the North Quabbin region (and principal towns Athol and Orange) for funding to promote economic development, as the area had the highest unemployment rate in the state. Small cities grants and other government funding provided a promising start of economic growth until a recession hit. At that time, several large and small Main Street businesses closed.
As of 2009, groups working on Athol's economy include the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, a quasi-public entity, and the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, located on Main Street in Athol.
of 2000, there were 11,299 people, 4,487 households, and 2,970 families residing in the town. The population density
was 346.9 people per square mile (133.9/km²). There were 4,824 housing units at an average density of 148.1 per square mile (57.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.33% White, 0.65% Black or African American
, 0.35% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population. 17.7% were of French
, 14.1% French Canadian
, 13.3% English
, 10.9% Irish
, 10.4% Italian and 5.3% American
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 4,487 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,475, and the median income for a family was $41,061. Males had a median income of $34,414 versus $23,156 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,845. About 8.3% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.
Municipal government is by open town meeting
. Athol is divided into three precincts. The first Monday in April is the date for the annual town election. The annual town meeting is held in May, and a fall town meeting occurs in October. Additional town meetings are held as needed. Administration of the town’s business is carried out by a five-member elected board of selectmen and a town manager following the Town Charter, which was passed in 2000. Other important town boards are the Finance and Warrant Advisory Committee, Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Capital Program Committee, Cable Advisory Board, Council on Aging, Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, Housing Authority, Open Space and Recreation Review Committee, Library Trustees, and Zoning Board of Appeals.
The Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee is jointly elected by the communities of Athol and Royalston. Ten members serve on this vital committee, seven from Athol and three from Royalston based upon the regional agreement.
The Athol Fire Department and Athol Police Department provide fire protection and public safety. In addition, a Massachusetts State Police barracks is located in Athol near the high school. The Department of Public Works takes care of roadways, water works, sewage treatment, parks, and cemeteries.
The towns of Athol and Orange cooperate with each other as neighbors, in spite of the county line that divides them. Some service providers for Athol are based in Franklin County, even though Athol sits in Worcester County.
cover Athol events and news. Newspapers from Boston
, Springfield
, and Fitchburg
are also sold in local stores.
Time Warner Cable
provides service to 6,646 subscribers in the Athol-Orange area. 4,044 live in Athol. The two-town area also benefits from the work of the Athol-Orange Community Television, Inc. (AOTV), which is a nonprofit Public-access television
cablecasting corporation. AOTV trains people to produce their own local Public-access television programs, and it records and airs Government-access television (GATV) public meetings and events through the Time Warner system.
WJDF
97.3 FM, WXRG 99.9 FM, and WTUB 700 AM are the local radio stations in Athol and Orange. Additional broadcast stations from Gardner
, Greenfield
, Keene, New Hampshire
, Springfield, Worcester, and Boston can be heard.
A number of Internet service providers have dial-up access
numbers based in Petersham
, which is a local telephone call from Athol. High speed Internet is available in selected areas of town through Road Runner (Time Warner), Verizon and other vendors.
Athol is primarily dependent on the automobile for out-of-town transportation. Route 2A runs through Athol’s business districts and provides access to Orange
to the west and Gardner
to the east. Route 2 provides access to Greenfield
(20 miles to the west), Gardner (11 miles east), Fitchburg
(25 miles east), and Boston
(71 miles east). Worcester
is 34 miles (54.7 km) from Athol via Routes 32 and 122 in Petersham. Keene, New Hampshire
, is 25 miles (40.2 km) north via Route 32.
Athol is served by several bus lines. The Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA), based in Greenfield, has daily runs from Athol to points west. The Montachusett Area Regional Transit (MART), based in Fitchburg, can take residents to points east of town. Community Transit Service buses provide dial-a-ride service for those people in Athol, Orange, and Winchendon
, who are in need of transportation to work, medical appointments, shopping, or other errands. Greyhound
bus terminals are located in Amherst
, Greenfield, Leominster
, Northampton
, Springfield, Worcester, and Keene. The Amherst, Northampton and Springfield terminals are actually run by Peter Pan Bus Lines
.
An active freight rail line runs through Athol. The Pan Am Railways
(formerly Guilford, Boston & Maine, née Fitchburg
) main line follows the east-west course of the Millers River
through the center of town. To connect with a passenger rail system, Athol residents must obtain non-rail transport to Fitchburg to catch the trains of the MBTA, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
, which serves the Boston metropolitan area. Amtrak
stations are located in Amherst, Springfield, Worcester, and Brattleboro, Vermont
.
Pilots and passengers of private planes can access the nearby Orange Municipal Airport
. Athol residents who intend to fly long distances generally commute to Logan International Airport
in Boston, Bradley International Airport
in Windsor Locks, Connecticut
, which is south of Springfield, T. F. Green Airport
in Providence, Rhode Island
, or Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
in Manchester, New Hampshire
.
Athol High School had been threatened with loss of accreditation; the school district and community members rallied around initiatives to restore a full accreditation for the school. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/No-shows+at+Athol+school+hearing%3B+High+school+faces+accreditation+loss-a0160496183
The closest community colleges are Mount Wachusett Community College
in Gardner and Greenfield Community College
in Greenfield. Programs leading to bachelors degrees and higher courses of study can be found in Amherst, Fitchburg, Worcester, and Keene. A few students choose to further their education at institutions elsewhere in New England, around the country, or online.
Private day care
centers and nursery school
s provide stimulation and social learning opportunities for the young child. Each week, the Athol Public Library holds several preschool activities which invite caretakers and small children to visit the library
, play with educational toys, read or hear stories, do crafts, and interact with others. The Athol Area YMCA also schedules activities appropriate for children ages 6 months through kindergarten, and has a preschool and nursery school, as well as after-school daycare.
The Athol Public Library was established in 1882 with 1,063 books and $300. The library was rebuilt in 1918 with private donations. It was the first building in Athol to have air conditioning as of 1969.
Since the Athol Public Library has inadequate facilities for large group seating, its largest annual program is presented in conjunction with and at the home of the Athol Historical Society. The Friends of the Athol Public Library also provide funds for smaller programs held at the library, like young adult craft workshops and author visits and book-signings. The library has a Teen Advisory Council called ATAC who work with the young-adult librarian to provide weekly programs for young adults. The children's library provides several programs a week for preschool, toddler and preteens.
Several community groups such as the Athol Lions Club provide annual entertainment for the community such as the Summerfest and River Rat Race. On the second week of April each year, the town's largest event is a local canoe
race named "The River Rat Race". Thousands of spectators line the banks of the Millers River to watch 300 plus canoes race from Athol to Orange. A parade is held in the morning the day of the race, and a carnival is held at the Lord Pond Plaza. Local musician Ethan Stone arranges numerous events in a Tool Town Live series at the Town Hall, uptown common and Fish Park which provide both venues for area musicians to showcase their talents and family concerts for the community. Joshua Lamarche, director of Osprey Entertainment, also manages concerts called Rockathons for the metal
/death metal
crowd, which are well received. Other popular town activities are listed below in the Culture section and are available through the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce.
In the summer and early fall, “Tool Town Live!” weekend concerts are held in the Uptown Common and at Fish Park in the western part of town. Begun in 2004, this popular series features talented groups from around New England
who represent a variety of musical genres. The concerts are offered free of charge, supported by car washes and other fund-raisers held earlier in the year.
The Athol Historical Society, a group of private citizens, occupies the old town hall in the uptown area. The building houses a museum exhibiting articles from Athol’s storied past. Additionally, the society sponsors talks about local history, provides guided tours of historic sites, and holds special events. The L.S. Starrett Tool Museum, located at the company office, has on display machine tools of the past. Visitors are admitted by appointment only, made with the personnel department of the company. Impressive restoration was done recently utilizing grant funding with private donations.
The Millers River Environmental Center on Main Street, housed in the old Main Street School, provides many programs to the public and is home to the Athol Bird and Nature Club.
Some of those activities center around the Millers River
. The River Rat Race, an annual canoe race held each spring, draws participants from all parts of New England. The 6 miles (9.7 km) race begins at Cass Meadow in Athol and ends at Hachey’s Landing in Orange. This event attracts a large crowd of observers and usually features a parade
and a carnival
.
Athol’s location on the Millers River enabled it to qualify in 2002 for the UrbanRiver Visions project, an initiative designed to capitalize on the potential of the river as a focal point for revitalization of downtowns in Massachusetts. As part of that project, local authorities plan to create a riverwalk
that connects the downtown area and the river.
Six historic public nature areas are administered by the Athol Conservation Commission. The largest of these is Bearsden Forest in the northeastern part of Athol. It contains hiking trails, camping areas, bridges, paths, old quarries, ponds and brooks.
Plans are also underway to create a greenspace / biking trail between Athol and Orange.
Eco-tourism and supporting environmental interests are popular throughout the North Quabbin region. The Millers River Environmental Center is located in a former elementary school building on Main Street. It offers exhibits and events and is also the home of the Athol Bird and Nature Club. The Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
, based in Athol, protects significant natural, agricultural, and scenic areas and encourages land stewardship in North Central and Western Massachusetts for the benefit of the environment, the economy and future generations. Organizations such as these help to preserve the beauty and natural resources that bring people to the Athol area. The Alan E. Rich Environmental Park, dedicated to a beloved deceased Selectman, sits proudly near the Millers River bridge on Main Street and provides habitat for native plants. It provides parking along with canoe, kayak and small boat access to the Millers River. It is adjacent to Cass Meadow which has 14 acres (56,656 m²) of trails featuring opportunities to view birds, butterflies and dragonflies.
The southern part of Athol, bordered by the Harvard Forest
and the Quabbin Reservoir, offers some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the area. The town owns Fish Park, Silver Lake, and Lake Ellis, where people can swim, skate, play tennis, or play ball.
Athol has additional recreational facilities. The Ellinwood Country Club offers an 18-hole golf course, banquet facilities, and a clubhouse for its members. The downtown Athol Area YMCA includes an Olympic-size pool, racquetball courts, gyms and workout equipment. Courses are offered in sports skills and practical arts. A Y-sponsored camp for local children, Camp Wiyaka, is located just across the border in New Hampshire
. Fresh Air Camps, organized by Boston's Goodwill Industries, operate a multi-acre facility south of the town, in South Athol.
Recreational activities for children and young adults are provided by the Boy Scouts
, Girl Scouts
, and Campfire Girls
. The Athol Recreation Department sponsors summer programs for youths at local school playgrounds. Social and fraternal organizations such as the Athol Women’s Club, the Elks
, Lions
and Rotary
clubs, Veterans of Foreign Wars
and the Masonic Lodge
, offer a wide range of activities for families and individuals. Chuck Stone Little League, one of the oldest Little League programs in the state, offers baseball
and softball
programs for Athol and Royalston youth.
The Silver Lake Wiffleball
League plays on Tuesday and Thursday nights between April and September at Silver Lake Park. The league is open to all adults and is free of charge.
, teenage pregnancy
, domestic violence
, and alcoholism
. These have declined in recent years.
The Athol Memorial Hospital provides hospital care, screening clinics, educational classes, home nursing care, out-patient counseling and a sleep clinic. A medical arts facility is located directly behind the hospital.
The North Quabbin Community Coalition operates from a storefront on School Street and is funded by state and federal dollars. Its membership is derived from local agencies, churches and organizations and is committed to providing a forum for sharing, advocacy, legislative lobbying efforts and to avoid a duplication of services. This coalition has been a model for the development of other similar initiatives around New England. Its task forces focus on such issues as child abuse
, teen pregnancy and lack of affordable housing
to come up with some real solutions. One of its groups sponsors the Literacy Volunteers of Orange / Athol, who provide free, confidential and private one-to-one tutoring for improving reading, writing, and math skills.
Millers River Information and Referral provides counseling services, mediation, and some medical services from its location on Main Street. It also operates the Quabbin House, a facility which provides social and vocational opportunities for adult persons with physical or mental problems.
The ACT Volunteer Center provides a resource for community members who would like to volunteer their time, skills, or services in Athol and the surrounding areas. While actually located in Greenfield, the ACT Volunteer Center serves community members and organizations in Athol.
Children and families are served by additional agencies with Main Street offices. Athol-Royalston Community Partnerships for Children maintains an informational resource center for parents and a link to the Title I program in the schools. The Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs administers family support services for those who have a family member with a developmental disability.
The Athol Council on Aging, in conjunction with Franklin County Home Care Corporation, provides hot meals, clinics, transportation, and recreational programs for the elderly. Three local housing complexes provide apartments specifically for senior citizens. Athol citizens supported at proposal to purchase a building in the Lord Pond Plaza recently and work to provide an Athol Senior Center hopefully will be completed within the next two years.
The Catholic Social Services trains and employs homemakers to assist in homes where care is needed. An interfaith council made up of ministers, priests and other religious leaders provides spiritual counseling and advocacy. It currently runs a Food Bank.
Families or individuals in a temporary housing crisis can find assistance at the Family Inn located in Orange.
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 11,584 at the 2010 census.
History
Originally called Pequoiag, the area was first settled by five families in September 1735. When the township was incorporated in 1762, the name was changed to Athol. John Murray, one of the proprietors of the land, chose the name because the hills reminded him of his ancestral home of Blair AthollBlair Atholl
Blair Atholl is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland, built about the confluence of the Rivers Tilt and Garry in one of the few areas of flat land in the midst of the Grampian Mountains. The Gaelic place-name Blair, from blàr, 'field, plain', refers to this location...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Athol means “pleasant place.”
Early residents subsisted on agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. By 1791, Athol had four gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s, six sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s, a fulling
Fulling
Fulling or tucking or walking is a step in woolen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, and making it thicker. The worker who does the job is a fuller, tucker, or walker...
mill, and a shop with a trip hammer
Trip hammer
A trip hammer, also known as a helve hammer, is a massive powered hammer used in:* agriculture to facilitate the labor of pounding, decorticating and polishing of grain;...
, all of which were operated by water power. The Athol Cotton Factory, built in 1811, was one of the first industries to serve a market beyond the local one. Through the 1800s, textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
, leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
, wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, and metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
industries further expanded the market for goods produced in Athol. The construction of the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad in the 1840s fostered so much industrial growth that a second line connecting Athol and Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
was constructed in 1870. Construction of the Fitchburg Railroad
Fitchburg Railroad
The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...
, an east-west line, came through Athol in 1879, on its way to the Hoosac Tunnel
Hoosac Tunnel
The Hoosac Tunnel is a 4.75-mile-long railroad tunnel in western Massachusetts which passes through the Hoosac Range, an extension of Vermont's Green Mountains. Work began in 1848 and was finally completed in 1875...
and the Berkshires
The Berkshires
The Berkshires , is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on music, arts, and recreation.-Definition:The term...
.
The Athol Machine Company was established in 1868 in order to manufacture a chopping machine invented by Laroy S. Starrett. In 1881, Mr. Starrett established the L. S. Starrett Company
L. S. Starrett Company
L. S. Starrett Company is an American manufacturer of tools and instruments. Its products are well known among machinists and tool and die makers. The company was founded when businessman and inventor Laroy Sunderland Starrett , who was born in China, Maine, bought the Athol Machine Company in 1905...
, known for making quality precision tools. The company remains the town’s largest employer to this day, and thus does Athol live up to the nickname "Tool Town".
As industries developed along the river valley, homes and stores grew up around the common located on the hill southeast of the factories. This area, today called Uptown, was the location of the first bank. The first trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
lines, established in 1894, ran from Athol to Orange
Orange, Massachusetts
Orange is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,839 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.Part of the town is included in the census-designated place of Orange....
, and additional lines soon provided efficient transportation to surrounding areas. Because of its development of industry, commerce, and transportation, Athol was the center of activity for the entire area at the turn of the century.
During the 1930s, the trolley lines closed due to the increased use of private automobiles, bus service, and the generally difficult economic times. When four Swift River Valley
Quabbin Valley
The Quabbin Valley is a region of Massachusetts, United States. The region consists of areas drained by the Quabbin Reservoir and accompanying river systems in Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties. The area is sometimes known as the Swift River Valley region, a reference to the...
towns were flooded to create the Quabbin Reservoir
Quabbin Reservoir
The Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was built between 1930 and 1939. Today along with the Wachusett Reservoir, it is the primary water supply for Boston, some to the east, as well as 40 other communities in Greater Boston...
, the Springfield railroad route had to be abandoned. Consequently, Athol’s growth leveled off as commerce became increasingly dependent on the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
. Population reached a peak of 12,186 in 1955.
The Route 2 bypass of Athol was constructed in the 1950s, further limiting direct access to the downtown business district. The following years showed population decline, falling to a low of 10,634 in 1980. However, Athol’s population has risen gradually since that time and shows every indication of growing.
Geography and transportation
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.5 km²), of which 32.6 square miles (84.4 km²) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) (2.46%) is water. The town is drained mostly by the Millers River
Millers River
The Millers River is a river in northern Massachusetts, originating in Ashburnham and joining the Connecticut River just downstream from Millers Falls, Massachusetts...
, which flows through the downtown area from northeast to west, towards the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. The Tully River flows into the Millers within town, and many other streams cross the town. Parts of Tully Lake and Lake Rohunta lie within town, as does Lake Ellis and several other small ponds. The soil of Athol is rough and stony, and the terrain is wooded and hilly, with elevations ranging from 500 feet (152.4 m) above sea level at the edge of the Millers River to 1282 feet (390.8 m) at the top of Pratt Hill near the Bearsden Forest. A large portion of the Millers River Wildlife Management Area lies within town, as does a small portion of Petersham State Forest.
Athol lies along the western edge of Worcester County, with Franklin County
Franklin County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
to the west. It is bordered by Royalston
Royalston, Massachusetts
Royalston is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,258 at the 2010 census.-History:Royalston is a small town in the North Quabbin area of northwestern-central Massachusetts. It was named after Isaac Royal, a landowner. It is very large in land area—about...
to the north, Phillipston
Phillipston, Massachusetts
Phillipston is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,682 at the 2010 census.- History :Phillipston was first settled in 1751, and incorporated as the town of Gerry in 1786...
to the east, Petersham
Petersham, Massachusetts
Petersham is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,234 at the 2010 census. Petersham is home to a considerable amount of conservation land, including the Quabbin Reservation, Harvard Forest, the Swift River Reservation, and Federated Women's Club State...
to the south, New Salem
New Salem, Massachusetts
New Salem is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 990 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
to the southeast, and Orange
Orange, Massachusetts
Orange is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,839 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.Part of the town is included in the census-designated place of Orange....
to the west. From its town center, Athol lies 23 miles (37 km) east of Greenfield
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
, 25 miles (40.2 km) west of Fitchburg
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
, 35 miles (56.3 km) northwest of Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, and 67 miles (107.8 km) west-northwest of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. The vast majority of population is settled around the downtown area, with the rest of the town being relatively sparsely populated.
Athol lies along Route 2, the major east-west route through northern Massachusetts. It passes concurrently with U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
as a limited access highway through town, with its old route, now Route 2A, passing through downtown Athol. For 1.4 miles (2.3 km), Route 32 is concurrent with Route 2A, coming north from Petersham east of downtown before continuing north along the eastern edge of downtown towards Royalston.
The town still has its old train station downtown (the depot), along the Springfield Terminal rail line, formerly a part of the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad
Fitchburg Railroad
The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...
. Before the filling of the Quabbin Reservoir
Quabbin Reservoir
The Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was built between 1930 and 1939. Today along with the Wachusett Reservoir, it is the primary water supply for Boston, some to the east, as well as 40 other communities in Greater Boston...
, Athol was the end of the Springfield, Athol and North-eastern Railroad, a spur line off the Boston and Albany Railroad
Boston and Albany Railroad
The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
, a line which passed through the now-submerged town of Enfield
Enfield, Massachusetts
Enfield was formerly a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, incorporated in 1816 from portions of Greenwich and Belchertown. It was named in honor of one of its early settlers, Robert Field...
towards the main line in Springfield. A line of the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) bus line provides access between the town and Greenfield. A line of Montachusett Area Regional Transit (MART) provides service from Orange through Athol and into Gardner. The nearest general aviation airport to Athol is the Orange Municipal Airport
Orange Municipal Airport
Orange Municipal Airport, in Orange, Massachusetts, is a public airport owned by Town of Orange. It has two runways, averages 137 flights per day, and has approximately 52 aircraft based on its field.Flight training and parachuting services are available....
, with the nearest national air service airports being Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
to the south and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport , commonly referred to simply as "Manchester Airport," is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Manchester, New Hampshire on the county line of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties...
to the north, both of which are an hour's drive away.
Economy
Since the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Athol's economy has been primarily industrial. In the early part of the 20th century, local water power and rail service attracted manufacturers such as Union Twist Drill and the L. S. Starrett Company
L. S. Starrett Company
L. S. Starrett Company is an American manufacturer of tools and instruments. Its products are well known among machinists and tool and die makers. The company was founded when businessman and inventor Laroy Sunderland Starrett , who was born in China, Maine, bought the Athol Machine Company in 1905...
to the area, leading to Athol's nickname "Tool Town." In the 1950s, when the Route 2 bypass, Interstate 495
Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ...
and the Massachusetts Turnpike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
diverted traffic to other parts of Massachusetts, Athol and other towns in central Massachusetts began a long economic decline.
By 1998, the commercial vacancy rate in Athol had risen to 18 percent. Despite downsizing, the L. S. Starrett Company continues to be the largest employer in town, followed by the Athol Memorial Hospital. Most of the remaining jobs in Athol are in the retail and food service industries.
In the 1960s, Athol and Orange
Orange, Massachusetts
Orange is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,839 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.Part of the town is included in the census-designated place of Orange....
formed the Orange-Athol Industrial Development Commission to bring businesses to the area near the Orange Municipal Airport
Orange Municipal Airport
Orange Municipal Airport, in Orange, Massachusetts, is a public airport owned by Town of Orange. It has two runways, averages 137 flights per day, and has approximately 52 aircraft based on its field.Flight training and parachuting services are available....
. The Millers River Community Development Corporation, North Quabbin Housing Partnership, and a banking alliance also grew out of collaborative efforts. These groups succeeded in financing housing to middle-income residents, natives and others who were not accepted by traditional lending programs.
In the early 1980s, the state targeted the North Quabbin region (and principal towns Athol and Orange) for funding to promote economic development, as the area had the highest unemployment rate in the state. Small cities grants and other government funding provided a promising start of economic growth until a recession hit. At that time, several large and small Main Street businesses closed.
As of 2009, groups working on Athol's economy include the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, a quasi-public entity, and the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, located on Main Street in Athol.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 11,299 people, 4,487 households, and 2,970 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 346.9 people per square mile (133.9/km²). There were 4,824 housing units at an average density of 148.1 per square mile (57.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.33% White, 0.65% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.35% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population. 17.7% were of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, 14.1% French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
, 13.3% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 10.9% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 10.4% Italian and 5.3% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 4,487 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,475, and the median income for a family was $41,061. Males had a median income of $34,414 versus $23,156 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $16,845. About 8.3% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government- Town Manager: David Ames
- Selectboard: Anthony Brighenti, Susannah Lee, James Meehan, Dr. Wayne Miller, Steve Raymond
Municipal government is by open town meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
. Athol is divided into three precincts. The first Monday in April is the date for the annual town election. The annual town meeting is held in May, and a fall town meeting occurs in October. Additional town meetings are held as needed. Administration of the town’s business is carried out by a five-member elected board of selectmen and a town manager following the Town Charter, which was passed in 2000. Other important town boards are the Finance and Warrant Advisory Committee, Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Capital Program Committee, Cable Advisory Board, Council on Aging, Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, Housing Authority, Open Space and Recreation Review Committee, Library Trustees, and Zoning Board of Appeals.
The Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee is jointly elected by the communities of Athol and Royalston. Ten members serve on this vital committee, seven from Athol and three from Royalston based upon the regional agreement.
The Athol Fire Department and Athol Police Department provide fire protection and public safety. In addition, a Massachusetts State Police barracks is located in Athol near the high school. The Department of Public Works takes care of roadways, water works, sewage treatment, parks, and cemeteries.
The towns of Athol and Orange cooperate with each other as neighbors, in spite of the county line that divides them. Some service providers for Athol are based in Franklin County, even though Athol sits in Worcester County.
Communications
Athol has a daily newspaper, The Athol Daily News. In addition, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the Greenfield Recorder, and The Gardner NewsThe Gardner News
The Gardner News is a family-owned daily newspaper serving seven cities and towns in northwest Worcester County, Massachusetts. In addition to the city of Gardner, where it is headquartered, it also covers the rural towns of Ashburnham, Hubbardston, Phillipston, Templeton, Westminster, and...
cover Athol events and news. Newspapers from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, and Fitchburg
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
are also sold in local stores.
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
provides service to 6,646 subscribers in the Athol-Orange area. 4,044 live in Athol. The two-town area also benefits from the work of the Athol-Orange Community Television, Inc. (AOTV), which is a nonprofit Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cablecasting corporation. AOTV trains people to produce their own local Public-access television programs, and it records and airs Government-access television (GATV) public meetings and events through the Time Warner system.
WJDF
WJDF
WJDF is a radio station licensed to serve Orange, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Deane Brothers Broadcasting Corp. It airs a Hot Adult Contemporary music format....
97.3 FM, WXRG 99.9 FM, and WTUB 700 AM are the local radio stations in Athol and Orange. Additional broadcast stations from Gardner
Gardner, Massachusetts
Gardner, Massachusetts is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 20,228 as of the 2010 census. Gardner is home to Dunn State Park, Gardner Heritage State Park, Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary, and Mount Wachusett Community College.-History:Named in honor of...
, Greenfield
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
, Keene, New Hampshire
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
, Springfield, Worcester, and Boston can be heard.
A number of Internet service providers have dial-up access
Dial-up access
Dial-up Internet access is a form of Internet access that uses the facilities of the public switched telephone network to establish a dialled connection to an Internet service provider via telephone lines...
numbers based in Petersham
Petersham, Massachusetts
Petersham is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,234 at the 2010 census. Petersham is home to a considerable amount of conservation land, including the Quabbin Reservation, Harvard Forest, the Swift River Reservation, and Federated Women's Club State...
, which is a local telephone call from Athol. High speed Internet is available in selected areas of town through Road Runner (Time Warner), Verizon and other vendors.
Transportation
Though residents can often walk to businesses in the downtown and uptown districts,Athol is primarily dependent on the automobile for out-of-town transportation. Route 2A runs through Athol’s business districts and provides access to Orange
Orange, Massachusetts
Orange is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,839 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.Part of the town is included in the census-designated place of Orange....
to the west and Gardner
Gardner, Massachusetts
Gardner, Massachusetts is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 20,228 as of the 2010 census. Gardner is home to Dunn State Park, Gardner Heritage State Park, Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary, and Mount Wachusett Community College.-History:Named in honor of...
to the east. Route 2 provides access to Greenfield
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
(20 miles to the west), Gardner (11 miles east), Fitchburg
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
(25 miles east), and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
(71 miles east). Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
is 34 miles (54.7 km) from Athol via Routes 32 and 122 in Petersham. Keene, New Hampshire
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
, is 25 miles (40.2 km) north via Route 32.
Athol is served by several bus lines. The Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA), based in Greenfield, has daily runs from Athol to points west. The Montachusett Area Regional Transit (MART), based in Fitchburg, can take residents to points east of town. Community Transit Service buses provide dial-a-ride service for those people in Athol, Orange, and Winchendon
Winchendon, Massachusetts
Winchendon is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 10,300 at the 2010 census. Home to Winchendon State Forest, the town includes the villages of Waterville and Winchendon Springs....
, who are in need of transportation to work, medical appointments, shopping, or other errands. Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
bus terminals are located in Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
, Greenfield, Leominster
Leominster, Massachusetts
Leominster is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the second-largest city in Worcester County, with a population of 40,759 at the 2010 census. Leominster is located north of Worcester and west of Boston. Both Route 2 and Route 12 pass through Leominster. Interstate 190,...
, Northampton
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
, Springfield, Worcester, and Keene. The Amherst, Northampton and Springfield terminals are actually run by Peter Pan Bus Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines
Peter Pan Bus Lines is a long-distance bus carrier headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts. It operates in the northeastern United States. Over four million passengers per year travel on Peter Pan's bus routes....
.
An active freight rail line runs through Athol. The Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways, Inc. , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
(formerly Guilford, Boston & Maine, née Fitchburg
Fitchburg Railroad
The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...
) main line follows the east-west course of the Millers River
Millers River
The Millers River is a river in northern Massachusetts, originating in Ashburnham and joining the Connecticut River just downstream from Millers Falls, Massachusetts...
through the center of town. To connect with a passenger rail system, Athol residents must obtain non-rail transport to Fitchburg to catch the trains of the MBTA, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
, which serves the Boston metropolitan area. Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
stations are located in Amherst, Springfield, Worcester, and Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census...
.
Pilots and passengers of private planes can access the nearby Orange Municipal Airport
Orange Municipal Airport
Orange Municipal Airport, in Orange, Massachusetts, is a public airport owned by Town of Orange. It has two runways, averages 137 flights per day, and has approximately 52 aircraft based on its field.Flight training and parachuting services are available....
. Athol residents who intend to fly long distances generally commute to Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
in Boston, Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
in Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Windsor Locks is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 12,043. It is the site of Bradley International Airport, which serves the Greater Hartford-Springfield region. It is also the site of the New England Air Museum...
, which is south of Springfield, T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green...
in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, or Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport , commonly referred to simply as "Manchester Airport," is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Manchester, New Hampshire on the county line of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties...
in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
.
Education
The Athol-Royalston Regional School District educates young people from grades pre-K to 12. Four elementary schools serve students: the Pleasant Street School (pre K-5), the Riverbend School (K-5), the Sanders Street School (K-3), and the Royalston Community School (K-6). The Athol-Royalston Middle School consists of grades 5 to 8, and Athol High School is made up of students in grades 9 through 12. District enrollment for the 2004-05 school year was 2,140 students. Interested individuals may attend the Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School in Fitchburg on a tuition basis, subject to the approval of school authorities.Athol High School had been threatened with loss of accreditation; the school district and community members rallied around initiatives to restore a full accreditation for the school. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/No-shows+at+Athol+school+hearing%3B+High+school+faces+accreditation+loss-a0160496183
The closest community colleges are Mount Wachusett Community College
Mount Wachusett Community College
Mount Wachusett Community College is a two-year community college in Gardner, Massachusetts. It offers associate degrees as well as a transfer program for students to earn credits for transfer to other colleges...
in Gardner and Greenfield Community College
Greenfield Community College
Greenfield Community College is a two-year Community College in Greenfield, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1962, currently has an annual enrollment of 3,000, is regionally known for its art program, its small-town atmosphere, and its setting amid picturesque old farmland at the foot of...
in Greenfield. Programs leading to bachelors degrees and higher courses of study can be found in Amherst, Fitchburg, Worcester, and Keene. A few students choose to further their education at institutions elsewhere in New England, around the country, or online.
Private day care
Day care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
centers and nursery school
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
s provide stimulation and social learning opportunities for the young child. Each week, the Athol Public Library holds several preschool activities which invite caretakers and small children to visit the library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, play with educational toys, read or hear stories, do crafts, and interact with others. The Athol Area YMCA also schedules activities appropriate for children ages 6 months through kindergarten, and has a preschool and nursery school, as well as after-school daycare.
The Athol Public Library was established in 1882 with 1,063 books and $300. The library was rebuilt in 1918 with private donations. It was the first building in Athol to have air conditioning as of 1969.
Culture
Athol is geographically isolated from the major cultural centers of Massachusetts; consequently, its residents tend to create their own entertainment. The town is known for producing many skilled musicians of all genres. Productions and programs are initiated by such organizations as the Athol Area YMCA, the Athol Historical Society, the Athol-Orange Rotary, the schools, and the Athol Public Library. The Athol Cultural Council provides funds for some of these programs.Since the Athol Public Library has inadequate facilities for large group seating, its largest annual program is presented in conjunction with and at the home of the Athol Historical Society. The Friends of the Athol Public Library also provide funds for smaller programs held at the library, like young adult craft workshops and author visits and book-signings. The library has a Teen Advisory Council called ATAC who work with the young-adult librarian to provide weekly programs for young adults. The children's library provides several programs a week for preschool, toddler and preteens.
Several community groups such as the Athol Lions Club provide annual entertainment for the community such as the Summerfest and River Rat Race. On the second week of April each year, the town's largest event is a local canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
race named "The River Rat Race". Thousands of spectators line the banks of the Millers River to watch 300 plus canoes race from Athol to Orange. A parade is held in the morning the day of the race, and a carnival is held at the Lord Pond Plaza. Local musician Ethan Stone arranges numerous events in a Tool Town Live series at the Town Hall, uptown common and Fish Park which provide both venues for area musicians to showcase their talents and family concerts for the community. Joshua Lamarche, director of Osprey Entertainment, also manages concerts called Rockathons for the metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
/death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
crowd, which are well received. Other popular town activities are listed below in the Culture section and are available through the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce.
In the summer and early fall, “Tool Town Live!” weekend concerts are held in the Uptown Common and at Fish Park in the western part of town. Begun in 2004, this popular series features talented groups from around New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
who represent a variety of musical genres. The concerts are offered free of charge, supported by car washes and other fund-raisers held earlier in the year.
The Athol Historical Society, a group of private citizens, occupies the old town hall in the uptown area. The building houses a museum exhibiting articles from Athol’s storied past. Additionally, the society sponsors talks about local history, provides guided tours of historic sites, and holds special events. The L.S. Starrett Tool Museum, located at the company office, has on display machine tools of the past. Visitors are admitted by appointment only, made with the personnel department of the company. Impressive restoration was done recently utilizing grant funding with private donations.
The Millers River Environmental Center on Main Street, housed in the old Main Street School, provides many programs to the public and is home to the Athol Bird and Nature Club.
Recreation and entertainment
Athol and its surroundings offer unlimited opportunities for enjoying the outdoors. Clubs like the Woodsman Rifle and Pistol Club and the Athol Bird and Nature Club focus on specific outdoor interests.Some of those activities center around the Millers River
Millers River
The Millers River is a river in northern Massachusetts, originating in Ashburnham and joining the Connecticut River just downstream from Millers Falls, Massachusetts...
. The River Rat Race, an annual canoe race held each spring, draws participants from all parts of New England. The 6 miles (9.7 km) race begins at Cass Meadow in Athol and ends at Hachey’s Landing in Orange. This event attracts a large crowd of observers and usually features a parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
and a carnival
Traveling carnival
A traveling carnival is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, animal acts or sideshow curiosities. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park, but is moved from...
.
Athol’s location on the Millers River enabled it to qualify in 2002 for the UrbanRiver Visions project, an initiative designed to capitalize on the potential of the river as a focal point for revitalization of downtowns in Massachusetts. As part of that project, local authorities plan to create a riverwalk
Riverwalk
Riverwalk is a name often given to a foreshoreway or pedestrian zone adjacent to a river.Some famous examples of riverwalks are:-In the United States:* Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale, Florida* Tampa Riverwalk in Tampa, Florida...
that connects the downtown area and the river.
Six historic public nature areas are administered by the Athol Conservation Commission. The largest of these is Bearsden Forest in the northeastern part of Athol. It contains hiking trails, camping areas, bridges, paths, old quarries, ponds and brooks.
Plans are also underway to create a greenspace / biking trail between Athol and Orange.
Eco-tourism and supporting environmental interests are popular throughout the North Quabbin region. The Millers River Environmental Center is located in a former elementary school building on Main Street. It offers exhibits and events and is also the home of the Athol Bird and Nature Club. The Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, incorporated in 1986, is a non-profit organization whose mission is the conservation of woodland and agricultural land in north central and western Massachusetts. Based out of Athol, Massachusetts, the MGLCT is named after Mount Grace, a neaby monadnock...
, based in Athol, protects significant natural, agricultural, and scenic areas and encourages land stewardship in North Central and Western Massachusetts for the benefit of the environment, the economy and future generations. Organizations such as these help to preserve the beauty and natural resources that bring people to the Athol area. The Alan E. Rich Environmental Park, dedicated to a beloved deceased Selectman, sits proudly near the Millers River bridge on Main Street and provides habitat for native plants. It provides parking along with canoe, kayak and small boat access to the Millers River. It is adjacent to Cass Meadow which has 14 acres (56,656 m²) of trails featuring opportunities to view birds, butterflies and dragonflies.
The southern part of Athol, bordered by the Harvard Forest
Harvard Forest
Harvard Forest is an ecological research area of owned and managed by Harvard University and located in Petersham, Massachusetts. The property, in operation since 1907, includes one of North America's oldest managed forests, educational and research facilities, a museum, and recreation trails...
and the Quabbin Reservoir, offers some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the area. The town owns Fish Park, Silver Lake, and Lake Ellis, where people can swim, skate, play tennis, or play ball.
Athol has additional recreational facilities. The Ellinwood Country Club offers an 18-hole golf course, banquet facilities, and a clubhouse for its members. The downtown Athol Area YMCA includes an Olympic-size pool, racquetball courts, gyms and workout equipment. Courses are offered in sports skills and practical arts. A Y-sponsored camp for local children, Camp Wiyaka, is located just across the border in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Fresh Air Camps, organized by Boston's Goodwill Industries, operate a multi-acre facility south of the town, in South Athol.
Recreational activities for children and young adults are provided by the Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
, and Campfire Girls
Camp Fire USA
Camp Fire USA, originally Camp Fire Girls of America, is a nationwide American youth organization that began in 1910. The organization has been co-ed since 1975 and welcomes youth from pre-kindergarten through age 21. Camp Fire was the first nonsectarian, multicultural organization for girls in...
. The Athol Recreation Department sponsors summer programs for youths at local school playgrounds. Social and fraternal organizations such as the Athol Women’s Club, the Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, Lions
Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
and Rotary
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
clubs, Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
and the Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
, offer a wide range of activities for families and individuals. Chuck Stone Little League, one of the oldest Little League programs in the state, offers baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
programs for Athol and Royalston youth.
The Silver Lake Wiffleball
Wiffleball
Wiffle ball or wiffleball is a variation of the sport of baseball designed for indoor or outdoor play in confined areas. The game is played using a perforated, light-weight, rubbery plastic ball and a long, plastic bat.- History :...
League plays on Tuesday and Thursday nights between April and September at Silver Lake Park. The league is open to all adults and is free of charge.
Social services
In the past, Athol has had many publicized social problems, and several local organizations are still on hand to remedy these situations. Chief among the problems are high rates of unemploymentUnemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
, teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
, domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, and alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. These have declined in recent years.
The Athol Memorial Hospital provides hospital care, screening clinics, educational classes, home nursing care, out-patient counseling and a sleep clinic. A medical arts facility is located directly behind the hospital.
The North Quabbin Community Coalition operates from a storefront on School Street and is funded by state and federal dollars. Its membership is derived from local agencies, churches and organizations and is committed to providing a forum for sharing, advocacy, legislative lobbying efforts and to avoid a duplication of services. This coalition has been a model for the development of other similar initiatives around New England. Its task forces focus on such issues as child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
, teen pregnancy and lack of affordable housing
Affordable housing
Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the...
to come up with some real solutions. One of its groups sponsors the Literacy Volunteers of Orange / Athol, who provide free, confidential and private one-to-one tutoring for improving reading, writing, and math skills.
Millers River Information and Referral provides counseling services, mediation, and some medical services from its location on Main Street. It also operates the Quabbin House, a facility which provides social and vocational opportunities for adult persons with physical or mental problems.
The ACT Volunteer Center provides a resource for community members who would like to volunteer their time, skills, or services in Athol and the surrounding areas. While actually located in Greenfield, the ACT Volunteer Center serves community members and organizations in Athol.
Children and families are served by additional agencies with Main Street offices. Athol-Royalston Community Partnerships for Children maintains an informational resource center for parents and a link to the Title I program in the schools. The Greater Athol Area Advocates for Families with Special Needs administers family support services for those who have a family member with a developmental disability.
The Athol Council on Aging, in conjunction with Franklin County Home Care Corporation, provides hot meals, clinics, transportation, and recreational programs for the elderly. Three local housing complexes provide apartments specifically for senior citizens. Athol citizens supported at proposal to purchase a building in the Lord Pond Plaza recently and work to provide an Athol Senior Center hopefully will be completed within the next two years.
The Catholic Social Services trains and employs homemakers to assist in homes where care is needed. An interfaith council made up of ministers, priests and other religious leaders provides spiritual counseling and advocacy. It currently runs a Food Bank.
Families or individuals in a temporary housing crisis can find assistance at the Family Inn located in Orange.
Notable residents
- Dave BargeronDave BargeronDavid 'Dave' W Bargeron is an American trombonist and tuba player from Athol, Massachusetts, most famous for playing with the jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat, and Tears. He joined the group in 1970, after Jerry Hyman departed, and first appeared on the album Blood, Sweat & Tears 4...
, musician - Jimmy BarrettJimmy BarrettJames Erigena Barrett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. A native of Athol, Massachusetts, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Barrett played 10 seasons in the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds , Detroit Tigers , and Boston Red Sox...
, baseball center fielder - Philip BezansonPhilip BezansonPhilip Thomas Bezanson was an American composer and educator.-Life:Born in Athol, Massachusetts, he graduated from Yale University School of music in 1940 and after war services enrolled in the graduate program of composition at the State University of Iowa were he joined its faculty eight years...
, composer and educator - Asa DruryAsa DruryAsa Drury was an American Baptist minister and educator primarily teaching at Granville Literary and Theological Institution in Granville, Ohio and the Western Baptist Theological Institute in Covington, Kentucky, and establishing the public schools in Covington...
, educator and Baptist minister - Daniel Francis Feehan, bishop
- Gregory GibsonGregory GibsonGregory Gibson is an American author.Gibson is the author of Gone Boy , Demon of the Waters , and Hubert's Freaks .-Biography:...
, author - Lysander SpoonerLysander SpoonerLysander Spooner was an American individualist anarchist, political philosopher, Deist, abolitionist, supporter of the labor movement, legal theorist, and entrepreneur of the nineteenth century. He is also known for competing with the U.S...
, libertarian, abolitionist, writer and anarchist - Charles StarrettCharles StarrettCharles Starrett was an American actor best known for his starring role in the Durango Kid Columbia Pictures western series. He was born in Athol, Massachusetts.-Career:...
, actor - Laroy S. Starrett, industrialist
- Charles H. SweetserCharles H. SweetserCharles H. Sweetser was an American author, journalist and editor. He was born in Athol, Massachusetts in Worcester County and graduated from Amherst College in 1862. The poet Emily Dickinson was one of his cousins and his daughter, Kate Dickinson Sweetser, was also an author...
, author, journalist and editor - Ginery TwichellGinery TwichellGinery Twichell was president of the Boston and Worcester Railroad in the 1860s, the Republican Representative for Massachusetts for three consecutive terms and the sixth president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.He was born on in Athol, Massachusetts. Some references list his actual...
, railroad president and congressman - Donald Goddard WingDonald Goddard WingDonald Wing, an Associate Librarian at Yale University from 1939 to 1970, is best known for his publication of the bibliographic work A Short-Title Catalogue of Books Printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America and of the English Books Printed in Other Countries, 1641-1700 ,...
, Yale Librarian and Bibliographer
Further reading
- Athol 1919: a portrait of a Massachusetts town
- Athol Massachusetts, past and present by Lilley B. Caswell
- Athol's historic buildings and places: a partial inventory by Kathryn A. Chaisson
- History of Athol Massachusetts by William G. Lord
- Hometown chronicles by Richard Chaisson
- The L.S. Starrett Company: tracing its buildings and development by Richard Chaisson
- North of Quabbin: a guide to nine Massachusetts towns, Athol, Orange, Royalston, Erving, Petersham, Warwick, New Salem, Phillipston, Wendell by Allen Young