Greenwich, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Greenwich was a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Hampshire County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 152,251 people, 55,991 households, and 33,818 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 58,644 housing units at an average density of 111 per square mile...

.

It was established in 1739 as Quabbin, incorporated as Quabbin Parish in 1754 and became the town of Greenwich (named for John Campbell
John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll
Field Marshal John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, 1st Duke of Greenwich KG , known as Iain Ruaidh nan Cath or Red John of the Battles, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman.-Early Life:...

, Duke of Greenwich) in 1754. It was located along the East and Middle branches of the Swift River
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...

. The Athol Branch of 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...

 ran through the center of town, as did Route 21. It was well known for its lakes and ponds, which were popular vacation spots. It was disincorporated on April 28, 1938 as part of the creation 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...

. Upon disincorporation, portions of the town were annexed to the adjacent towns of Hardwick
Hardwick, Massachusetts
Hardwick is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States, about west of the city of Worcester. It had a population of 2,990 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Hardwick, Gilbertville, Wheelwright and Old Furnace.- History :...

, 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 :...

, 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...

, and Ware
Ware, Massachusetts
Ware is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,707 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Ware....

. (Because of the redrawing of town lines, the land is no longer completely in Hampshire County; in fact, only the portion located in Ware is.) It is now largely below water, except for the hilltops of Curtis Hill, Mount Liz and Mount Pomeroy, which are now islands.

Greenwich House, an on-campus living facility at Hampshire College
Hampshire College
Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1965 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Massachusetts...

 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...

, 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...

, is named after the former town.

Quabbin towns

  • Dana
    Dana, Massachusetts
    Dana is a former town located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Formed from parts of Petersham, Greenwich, and Hardwick, it was incorporated in 1801, and was disincorporated on April 28, 1938, as part of the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir. Upon disincorporation, most of the town was returned...

  • 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...

  • Prescott
    Prescott, Massachusetts
    Prescott is a former town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1822 from portions of Pelham and New Salem. It was named in honor of Colonel William Prescott, who commanded the American forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was disincorporated on April 28, 1938 as part of...

  • Millington
  • Shutesbury, Massachusetts
    Shutesbury, Massachusetts
    Shutesbury is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,810 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...


Notable residents

  • Joseph Pomeroy Root
    Joseph Pomeroy Root
    Joseph Pomeroy Root was an American doctor, politician, and leader of the Free Staters....

     (1826-1885), Free Stater, first Lieutenant Governor of Kansas

External links

  • http://menotomymaps.com/quab_1.html. Map showing the towns buried under Quabbin as they looked in 1912 with original house locations and current reservoir water level.
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