History of Adams, Massachusetts, USA

Adams (so named in honor of the patriot Samuel Adams) is an important and flourishing agricultural and manufacturing town on the Hoosac River, in the northern part of Berkshire County, about 140 miles northwest of Boston. It is connected with the Fitchburg Railroad at the village of North Adams, and with the Boston and Albany at Pittsfield by a direct line between those two places; the principal stations in the town being Adams and Maple Grove. Its postal villages are Adams and Zylonite. Other villages are Arnoldsville, Howland and Renfrew. North Adams (formerly a part of this town) bounds it on the north; Savoy, on the east; Cheshire, on the south; and New Ashford on the west. Its area is 11,900 acres, aside from highways and water surfaces. Of this, there are 5,203 acres of woodland.

The surface is hilly, rising at the southwest to the eminence known as Saddle Ball, and at the northwest, to the noted and lofty summit of Graylock, 3,505 feet above the sea; being the highest peak...

Adams, a post-village of Berkshire co, Mass., in Adams township, on the Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad, 15 miles N.N.E. of Pittsfield, and 5 miles S. of North Adams, It has 2 national banks, 3 newspaper offices, from one of which a German paper is issued, 7 churches, 2 paper-mills, 2 woollen-mills, and manufactures of gingham and cotton warp. Pop. about 7500.

North Adams, Mass., June 22. - The biggest cotton mill in America is to be built at once in Adams. This was decided at a meeting of capitalists last night.

The mill will employ over 1000 people, will have 80,000 spindles, and 2100 looms and will cost $1,000,000. It will be 425 feet long and 116 feet wide, with an ell, and will be five stories high.

The enterprise is brought to Adams by the Plunkett Brothers, and some of the heaviest capitalists in the country are interested in it. The officers are: President, Edward N. Gibbs of Norwich, Conn.; treasurer, W. B. Plunkett of Adams; clerk, C. T. Plunkett of Adams.

Directors: Edward N. Gibbs of Norwich, Conn.; Theodore A. Havemeyer of New York; Hon. David A. Wells of Norwich, Conn.; Hon. William A. Halle of Springfield; Gardiner Hall, Jr., of South Willington, Conn.; Hon. W. L. Draper of Hopedale; W. B. Plunkett and C. T. Plunkett of Adams.

ADAMS, Mass., June 26. - The vacation which President and Mrs. McKinley have been enjoying here as the guests of Hon. and Mrs. W. B. Plunkett, is at an end, and to-night, the presidential train bore them towards the nation's capitol. The President returned to his executive labors in remarkably fine health, but Mrs. McKinley is quite poorly, and ti was on her account that the present stay was curtailed by two days. The closing day of the visit was made notable tot he people of this town and of the sister city of North Adams, by an number of pleasant incidents. Twice the president spoke to the people of Berkshire of the pleasure attending his visit, and earlier in the day he had assisted in the ceremony of laying the corner stone of what is to be the largest cotton mill in western Massachusetts.

The morning hours of the day were spent quietly by the party in Mr. Plunkett's house. Just before noon the President and Mr. Plunkett and several members of the party went to the site of the...

Adams, Mass., March 20. - A high wind which had prevailed all Tuesday night suddenly assumed cyclone proportions yesterday and considerable damage resulted. Covered vehicles were overturned in the streets, chimneys were demolished, trees were uprooted and the spire and belfry on the First Congregational church was wrenched off. In falling the spite took with it two large cupolas and a portion of the roof from the parish house which adjoined the church. The damage to the church property is estimated at about $3,000. The high wind was accompanied by snow.

The Only Plant for That Work in the United States Is in Adams of the Berkshires - The Difference Between the Processes

Up in the little town of Adams, in the Berkshire Hills, is the only plant in America for making hand-made paper. There is a great demand for these papers for drawing, water-color painting, correspondence and special book editions and the miss in Adams are working at full speed to meet it. Until 1816 paper making in this country was entirely by hand, and the process was so slow that it required the labor of five persons to make three reams a day. With machinery for forming rag pulp into sheet paper, the hand-made process was abandoned, and skilled-artisans who could give the "old-time shake" to the mold forming a sheet of paper, became almost unknown. In 1879 the L. L. Brown Paper Company of Adams sent a practical man to England to purchase the necessary equipment and engage workers, and in 1880 it commenced the manufacture of handmade paper.

The difference in...

Adams, a banking post-village and township (town) of Berkshire co., Mass., on the Boston and Albany R., 5 miles S. of North Adams. It has machine-shops and manufactures of cotton, wool, iron, paper, etc. Greylook, or Saddle Mountain (3535 feet), the highest point of the state, is in the town. Pop. of the town in 1900, 11,134.- It includes the villages of Renfrew, Maplegrove, and Zylonite.

Herman Olekskiewicz, jr. son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Olekskiewicz, of Adams, Mass., was drowned Tuesday, his second birthday, in a small pond near his home.

He is believed to have wandered away from home and fallen off a dam. Following the discovery of the body by Eugene Roulier, and overseer at the nearby Berkshire Mills, police and firemen unsuccessfully attempted to revive the child.

1. Mount Greylock State Reservation:

Adams is home to Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts. You can hike to the summit, where you'll find stunning panoramic views, a War Memorial Tower, and Bascom Lodge. The trails vary in difficulty, making it accessible for hikers of all levels.

2. Western Gateway Heritage State Park:

This park offers an excellent introduction to the history and culture of Adams. Explore the Visitors' Center, which houses a museum with exhibits showcasing the town's industrial past and the life of Susan B. Anthony, a famous suffragette who was born in Adams.

3. Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum:

Dive deeper into the life and achievements of Susan B. Anthony by visiting her birthplace. The museum features artifacts and exhibits related to her life and her tireless advocacy for women's rights.

4. Thunderbolt Ski Trail:

If you're visiting Adams during the winter, you can enjoy some outdoor fun on Thunderbolt Ski Trail. This...