History of North Adams, Massachusetts, USA

1737 - North Adams is settled

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1846 - Fifty factory girls recently went sleighing in North Adams, Massachusetts. Only think of FIFTY emancipated working girls on a spree!

The Sun
Baltimore, Maryland
January 23, 1846

1854 - North Adams
North Adams, a post-village of Adams township, Berkshire co., Massachusetts, on the Hoosick river, at the northern terminus of the Pitsfield and North Adams railroad, 20 miles N. by E. from Pitsfield, and by rail road 171 miles W. by N. from Boston. It is one of the largest manufacturing villages in the county. There are in the place a number of churches, a bank, several printing offices, and numerous mills and factories. Population, about 3000.
A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

1868 - The operatives in the cotton and woolen mills in North Adams, Massachusetts, work eleven hours per day, and the average wages is six dollars per week.

The New Orleans Crescent
New Orleans, Louisiana
November 20, 1868

1870 - 75 Chinamen
CHICAGO, June 12. - A gang of seventy-five Chinamen arrived here from San Francisco, en route to North Adams, Massachusetts, to be employed in a boot and shoe factory, the first ever sent East, and are under the direction of Koopmanschap.
The Atlanta Constitution
Atlanta, Georgia
June 14, 1870

1871 - Should have said Yes?
An aged woman in North Adams, Massachusetts, relates that many years ago, while attending a social dance, a young mechanic asked for her hand for one of the dances. She indignantly refused, feeling very much mortified that he should make such an offer. Years have passed, and she has filled an honorable but humble position in life, while the young man whom she then scorned has been Governor of Massachusetts.
Tri-Weekly Era
Raleigh, North Carolina
August 31, 1871

1875 - Fatal Accident.
EDWARD McCRAW, foreman of a gang in the Little Tunnel at North Adams, Mass., was crushed to death on Thursday night while shackling corn.

The New Hampshire Patriot
Concord, New Hampshire
November 24, 1875

1877 - Only 68 Chinese shoemakers remain at North Adams, Massachusetts.

The Indianapolis News
Indianapolis, Indiana
May 5, 1877

1878 - North Adams, founded in 1878, its parent town was Adams

ma-vitalrecords.org/ MA/ Berkshire/ index.shtml

1878 - North Adams is incorporated

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1879 - Chinamen in a Riot - Scene in a North Adams Shoe Shop - Fighting with American Workmen.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass., July 3. - About 10 o'clock this morning, Elmer Hewett, a pegger in the Chinese work-room, at Sampson's shoe shop, was struck on the back with a shoe-last by a Chinaman. Retaliating, he struck the Chinaman in the face with his fist, knocking him to the floor, senseless, and afterward he was dragged off by his sympathetic countrymen. Immediately, about 40 Chinese operatives seized their shoe-hammers, knives, and lasts, and in a body rushed upon the obnoxious American. Henry Clark, a fellow-workman of Hewett, stepped forward to his assistance, but received a terrible blow on the head with a last thrown by a Chinaman. The blow dazed him for a moment, but recovering, Clark attacked the Chinamen, knocking them around like ten-pins. Meanwhile, the air was full of flying missiles, threatening everybody in a radius of 30 feet. Men who have worked in the shop for years say that never, in there experience, has such a riot occurred, and they have no desire to pass through... Read MORE...

1880 - The Water Responsible
Some time ago a mysterious epidemic broke out at North Adams, Massachusetts, and for several weeks everybody was wondering what it could be caused by. The pious were a good deal disposed to hold that it was some sort of a judgment. The Kearneyites thought that it was the natural retribution for employing Chinese in the shoe shops. But after all it turns out that the water of the town is responsible for the sickness, and that no supernatural causes were concerned in it. An engineer made a map of the town and having carefully ascertained the direction of the epidemic, found that it followed the lines of the water pipes with a regularity far too stead to be ascribed to accident. He then traced the course of the water up to an old mill dam, which proved to be full of impurities, yet which nobody had ever suspected. Doubtless North Adams is not the first town that has been poisoned by bad water, or that has attributed the evil to everything but the right cause.
The Record-Union
Sacramento, California
July 23, 1880

1880 - Nitro-Glycerine Works Explodes
The Mosbray nitro-glycerine works at North Adams, Massachusetts, have been blown up three times. They have had ten superintendents, eight of whom were killed by explosion, one blinded, and the last is in charge and waiting his turn.
The Indianapolis News
Indianapolis, Indiana
October 13, 1880

1882 - DEATH ON THE RAIL. RAILROAD WORKMEN KILLED AND INJURED IN MASSACHUSETTS.
North Adams, Mass., Oct. 21. - A terrible accident to a caboose containing working men belonging to the North Adams freight yard occurred this morning in which 27 men were injured, several of them fatally. About 6:30 o'clock this morning Engineer CHARLES WELLS and Fireman JOSEPH BOSLEY left the North Adams depot on the engine Deerfield, of the State Road, pushing a caboose loaded with 25 men, who were going to work at different places near Zoar and Charlemont. The parties in the car included the section gang, JOHN FLYNN, foreman; the gang of masons, JOHN C. MADDEN, foreman; the stone-crushers, PETER BARRY, foreman; the track-layers, THOMAS QUINN, foreman, and the carpenters, J. J. PEEKHAM, foreman. The engine and caboose, with its human freight, started for the tunnel, and had gone about half way when the caboose, which was in front, collided with a Troy and Boston engine, smashing the head-light of the engine of the Deerfield and driving the 15-foot flues straight through the furnace ... Read MORE...

North Adams Massachusetts, 1890
North Adams is a flourishing manufacturing town on the Hoosac River, in the northern part of Berkshire County. The junction of the Housatonic Railroad, running south through the county, with the Fitchburg Railroad at North Adams is 143 miles (by the latter road) northwest of Boston. The other stations on this road are Greylock and Blackinton. The post-office is North Adams; and the villages are the places already mentioned and Beaver, Braytonville, Houghtonville and Kempville. The town is bounded on the north by Clarksburg, east by Florida, south by Adams, and west by Williamstown. The assessed area is 9,670 acres. There are 3,866 acres of forest, consisting in part of maple, beech, birch and cherry.

The scenery of the town is wild and picturesque. At the southwest is Saddle Mountain, with Greylock farther south. At the southeast corner is Spruce Hill; 5,288 feet high. This forms the southern point of Hoosac Mountain, which is pierced from east to west by the Hoosac Tunnel, on the... Read MORE...

1895 - North Adams
North Ad'ams, a post-village in North Adams town ship, Berkshire co., Mass., on the Hoosac River, near the W. end of the great Hoosac Tunnel, 20 miles N.N.E. of Pittsfield, and about 36 miles E. of Albany, N.Y. It is 5 miles N.E. of Greylock, the highest mountain in the state, and is surrounded by high hills and beautiful scenery. It contains a national bank, 2 savings-banks, a first class hotel, a fine high school, 2 newspaper offices, and 7 churches. Here are important manufactures of cotton and woollen goods, boots, shoes, and other articles. The town ship has 11 cotton-mills and 6 woollen-mills, and the annual value of the products manufactured here is about $7,000,000. The Hoosac Tunnel, perforated through the Hoosac Mountain, is nearly 5 miles long, and is part of a railroad connecting Boston with Troy and Albany. North Adams is on the Troy & Boston Railroad, at the N. terminus of the Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad. Pop. in 1890, 16,074
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1895 - North Adams is incorporated as a city

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates

1898 - MILK DEALER KILLED. Charles Davis Thrown From His Wagon and His Skull Fractured.
North Adams, Mass., Aug. 30 - Charles Davis, aged 41, a milk dealer, was thrown from his wagon, when his horse ran away today, and died three hours later from a fractured skull. He leaves a widow and three children.
Boston Journal
Boston, Massachusetts
August 31, 1898

1899 - VACATION AT AN END. The President and Party Leave Adams, Mass., for the Nation's Capitol.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass., June 26. - The President [McKinley] was met at 2:30 o'clock on Church street, by Sanford Post G. A. R. and a band, and was taken to a reviewing stand in Monument square, and from which he saw a pretty parade of 2000 school children and citizens of the city. After the parade had passed by, Mayor H. Torrey Cady made an address of welcome to the President.

At the close of the mayor's remarks, there was great cheering. The President stepped forward and expressed his feelings for the most generous welcome that the people of North Adams have extended to the President of the United States. After he had finished speaking the President's carriage was in waiting for his drive about the city. A number of streets were driven through and then he returned to Adams.
Lewiston Evening Journal
Lewiston, Maine
June 26, 1899

1903 - Benefit Basket Ball
A close game of basket ball was played at the Y.M.C.A. gymnasium Saturday night by the Climbers and the Y.M.C.A. team for the benefit of Edward Feige of the association, who sustained a serious injury to his leg in a football game last fall. There was good attendance, but how much was made is not yet known as the tickets are not all in. The closeness of the game may be judged by the fact that the first half ended 14 to 13 in favor of the Climbers and the final score was 27 to 24 in favor of the Y.M.C.A.
The North Adams Transcript
North Adams, Massachusetts
Mon., January 26, 1903

Read more about Edgar Charles "Edward" FEIGE

1906
North Adams, a city of Berkshire co., Mass., on the Hoosac River, near the W. end of the Hoosac Tunnel, 36 miles E. of Albany, N.Y., on the Boston and Maine and on the Boston and Albany Rs. It is 5 miles NE. of Greylock, the highest mountain in the state, and is surrounded by high hills and beautiful scenery. It is the seat of a state normal school and has extensive cotton, print, and woollen-mills, and manufactures of paper-boxes, boots and shoes, etc. Pop. in 1900, 24,200. Elevation, 700 feet.
Lippincott's New Gazetteer: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World, Containing the Most Recent and Authentic Information Respecting the Countries, Cities, Towns ... in Every Portion of the Globe Publisher J.B. Lippincott Company, 1906

1907 - PANIC IN THEATER AUDIENCE - EXPLOSION AT NORTH ADAMS.
Many Rush for the Doors at Empire Theater When Picture Machine Takes Fire - One Woman Trampled on and Others Hysterical - Fire Quickly Put Out.

The moving picture machine in the balcony of the Empire theater at North Adams exploded shortly after 9 o'clock last night, while an audience of some 400 was witnessing the moving picture entertainment then in progress. There was considerable confusion, several women screaming and others making hasty rushes for the exits. Charles Daas, a fireman, who happened to be in the theater, attempted to quiet the audience, but was only partly successful. He then left and had an alarm sounded from box 6, at the corner of Main and Holden streets. By the time the fire apparatus reached the building the greater part of the audience was leaving by the main entrance in an orderly manner, although several women were more or less hysterical. George Roberts, electrician of the Empire theater, who was in charge of the machine, had extinguished the fire with... Read MORE...

1927 - Flood
...Northwestern Massachusetts also felt the flood. Property loss was estimated at more than $1,000,000 in North Adams alone. The national guard was called out there after 20 houses had been swept away by the overflowing Hoosac River...
The Oelwein Daily Register
Iowa
November 4, 1927

North Adams is the wettest city in Massachusetts, averaging 109 days of precipitation each year.

National Weather Service

Here's a list of historical attractions and activities in North Adams:
MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art): Begin your exploration with a visit to MASS MoCA, one of the largest contemporary art museums in the United States. Located in a repurposed industrial complex, the museum offers a diverse range of ever-changing exhibitions, installations, and performances.

The Clark Art Institute: Situated in nearby Williamstown, The Clark boasts an impressive collection of European and American art. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the museum's galleries and the beautiful surrounding grounds.

Natural Bridge State Park: Experience the natural beauty of the only natural white marble arch in North America at Natural Bridge State Park. Discover marble formations, hike the scenic trails, and take in the stunning views of the park.

Western Gateway Heritage State Park: Explore the North Adams Museum of History and Science, located within the park. Learn about the town's industrial and cultural history through exhibits, and enjoy outdoor concerts ... Read MORE...