History of New Salem, Massachusetts, USA

New Salem, Massachusetts
Franklin county. This town is bounded N. by Miller's river, and has a good water power. It lies 74 miles W.N.W. from Boston and 17 E.S.E. from Greenfield. This is a pleasant town of elevated surface, and good soil for grazing. Population, 1837, 1,255. The manufactures of the town, consist of palm-leaf hats, boots, shoes, leather, straw bonnets, and ploughs. Incorporated, 1753.

This town was named by the first settlers, because some of them came from Danvers, which was then a part of Salem.

Some palm-leaf hats are manufactured, but the chief business is agriculture.

Distance from Greenfield, 19 miles; from Boston, 73.

This town was incorporated in 1753. The first inhabitants were chiefly from Middleborough, and some from Danvers. The first minister was Rev. Samuel Kendal, who died in 1792, and was succeeded in the ministry by Rev. Joel Foster, who was settled in 1779; he resigned in 1802, and was succeeded by Rev. Warren Pierce. Rev. Alpheas Harding succeeded Mr. Pierce in 1807. The north Congregational society erected their meeting-house in 1836, about three and a half miles north of the south church. The church (called the Orthodox) was organized in 1824. Rev. Levi French was settled pastor the next year; he was succeeded by Rev. Erastus Curtiss, in 1834. There is a Baptist church near the southern line of the town.

The south Congregational church and the academy, which was incorporated in 1795, stand on a very elevated hill, which commands an extensive prospect over the neighboring valleys. “The fogs of Connecticut river seldom rise above this place, while it covers the surrounding country;...

New Salem, a post-township of Franklin co., Massachusetts, 70 miles W. N. W. from Boston. Population, 1253.

New Salem is a mountainous town of 225 dwelling-houses and 832 inhabitants forming the southeast extremity of Franklin County, and about 70 miles north-northwest of Boston. The Athol and Springfield Railroad runs across the eastern angle of the town. It is bounded on the north by Orange, on the east by Athol and Petersham, south by Prescott, and west by Shutesbury and Wendell.

The assessed area is 16,142 acres. The underlying rock is calcareous gneiss. The land is generally high and broken; and at the southwest corner of the town it rises into an eminence called Packard's Mountain, whose summit is 1,278 feet above the level of the sea. The streams are a branch of Miller's River, flowing north from.Spectacle Ponds (covering 90 acres) in the eastern part, and Middle Branch of Swift River, rising in Orange, and flowing through Thompson's Pond (225 acres) in the southeast section of New Salem, where it soon after receives Hop and Moose-horn brooks from the central part of the town....

New Salem, a post-township of Franklin co., Mass., on the Springfield, Athol & Northeastern Railroad, 40 miles N.N.E. of Springfield. It contains hamlets named Millington, North New Salem, and New Salem. Pop. 987.