History of Blandford, Massachusetts, USA

Blandford, Massachusetts
Hampden county. Branches of Westfield river rise in this town and give it a good water power. Blandford was incorporated in 1741. It was originally settled by a company from the north of Ireland. It lies 114 miles W. by S. from Boston and 15 W. by N. from Springfield. Population, 1837, 1,443. The manufactures of the place consist of woolen cloth, paper and leather. Annual amount, $50,500. The agricultural products sent to market in 1836, amounted to $22,340. There were in the town 1,535 cows and 1,822 merino sheep.

This town was first settled by Protestant emigrants from the north of Ireland.

The town lies on the eastern declivity of the Green Mountains, and is watered by small branches of Westfield River.

Some woollen cloth and paper are manufactured, but the dairy occupies the chief attention of the inhabitants.

Distance from Springfield, 15 miles; from Boston, 114.

This town was incorporated in 1741. The inhabitants to a great extent are descended from a company of emigrants, of the Presbyterian denomination, from the north of Ireland, by whom this town was originally settled. The Rev. Mr. McClenathan appears to have been the first minister; it is supposed that he was from Ireland. Joseph Patrick and James Morton appear to have been the next in order, Joseph Badger and Jonathan Keep the next. Mr. Badger was for three years a soldier in the revolutionary war. Rev. Dorus Clark was settled here in 1823, he resigned in 1835; he was succeeded by Rev. Charles J. Hinsdale, in 1836.

This township is situated principally upon the eastern side of a range of the Green mountains. In this town commences the ridge of rocky hills which extend to Pittsfield, in Berkshire county. In 1837, there were in this town 1 woollen mill, with 2 sets of machinery; 13,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $18,000; 1 paper mill, which manufactured 60 tons of...

Blanford, a post-township of Hampden county, Massachusetts, 15 miles W. by N. of Springfield, is intersected by branches of Westfield river, and has excellent water- power. Population, 1418.

Blandford is a large and geologically interesting town in the westerly part of Hampden County. In form it is nearly square, with an area of 30,457 acres, beside highways and water surfaces. There are 9,975 acres of woodland. Blandford is bounded by Chester and Huntington on the north, Russell on the east, Granville and Tolland on the south, and Otis and Becket on the west. The nearest railroad station is at the northeast and just across the line, at Huntington, on the Boston and Albany Railroad, 119 miles from Boston.

Dug Hill, a little north of the centre of the town, rises to the height of 1,622 feet, and Jackson's Hill, in the southwest, to 1,717 feet above the level of the sea. Other prominent elevations are Green Mountain in the north (at the base of which there is a sulphur spring), Tarrot Hill in the east, and Beach Hill in the south. In the northwest corner of the town, a singular depression in an elevated tract has the appearance of having been a volcanic crater. The town...

Bland'ford, or Blam'ford, a post-township of Hampden co, Mass., about 20 miles W. by N. of Springfield. Pop. 964. It contains a hamlet called Blandford Centre, which has 2 churches.