History of Charlemont, Massachusetts, USA

Charlemont, Massachusetts
Franklin county. Deerfield river meanders through this town, and gives it a good water power. Garrisons were erected here in 1754, against the savage French and Indians. Their remains are now visible. Incorporated, 1765. Population, 1837, 994. It lies 110 miles W.N.W. from Boston and 14 W. by N. from Greenfield. Although this is a mountainous township, it contains much valuable land. It maintains about 5,000 merino and other sheep. Its manufactures consist of boots, shoes, leather, iron castings, axes, hoes, palm-leaf hats, saddlery, scythe snaiths, and lather boxes.

Charlemont once contained a part of Buckland and Heath, and was composed of Boston Plantation, No. 1, and the largest part of a tract called Zoar.

Deerfield River, flows through this mountainous town, presenting much beautiful scenery.

Mount Peak, the highest hill, is above one thousand feet high.

The town being on the frontiers, was considerably annoyed by the Indians, in the French wars.

Agriculture and the raising of sheep are the chief employment of the inhabitants.

Distance from Greenfield, 17 miles; from Boston, 104.

This town was incorporated in 1765. During the French and Indian wars, this being one of the frontier towns, it was open to their ravages, in the limits of this town were three garrisons, Taylor's, Rice's, and Hawk's. These were of a cordon of fortifications projected by Col. Williams in the year 1754. These works were either mounts, a diminutive kind of block-house, or stockaded dwelling-houses, bearing the names of the resident families, defensible only against musketry. In June, 1755, as a party of people were at work in a meadow in the upper part of Charlemont, near Rice's fort, they were attacked by a party of Indians; Captain Rice and Phineas Rice were killed, and Titus King, and Asa Rice, a lad, were captured, conveyed to Crown Point, and from thence to Canada. King was some time afterward carried to France, then to England, and from thence he returned to Northampton, his native place. The Congregational church in this town was organized in Jutie, 1788; the Rev. Isaac Babbit,...

Charlemont, a post-township of Franklin county, Massachusetts, 100 miles W. by N. from Boston, intersected by Deerfield river. Population, 1173.

CHARLEMONT, a township in Franklin co., in the state of Massachusetts, U. S., 109 m. W by N of Boston. Pop. 1,127.

Charlemont is a long and narrow township lying along the Deerfield River, whose general course here is slightly south of east. It is in the western part of Franklin County, about 125 miles northwest of Boston by rail. The region is quite mountainous, and the outline of the town is very irregular. Rowe, Heath and Colrain bound it on the north; the latter and Shelburne on the east; Buckland and Hawley on the south; and Savoy and Florida on the west. The assessed area is 15,496 acres; and, of this, 5,100 acres are forest, consisting of maple, beech and birch. The villages are East Charlemont, Charlemont (centre) and Zoar.

The Deerfield River runs through the western half of the town, then forms the divisional line the entire length of Buckland; and, by a northward curve to receive the North River, it forms, with that stream, the eastern line. The Fitchburg Railroad follows the general course of the river, but, forced by its bends, crosses six times, delighting the traveller with the...