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History of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA
Journey back in time to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA
Visit Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and genealogy.
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Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Fitchburg derived its name from John Fitch, one of the committee that procured the act of incorporation.
How New England Towns Received Their Names
The Day
New London, Connecticut
October 21, 1914
Fitchburg was once part of Lunenburg, which was also once part of Lancaster. In 1719 when Lunenburg was created, the courts called the area that is now Fitchburg "Turkey Hills." In 1764 Fitchburg was officially separated from Lunenburg. sentinelandenterprise.com
Fitchburg includes: Traskville, Wachusett Station, Waites Corner, The Cleghorn, Crockerville, and Notown.
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There is MUCH more to discover about Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA. Read on!
Old Photos, Pictures, Advertisements and Postcards from Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA
History, News and Stories of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA

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The first account of a white person to enter Fitchburg was on February 11, 1676 when Mary Rowlandson, wife of the minister of Lancaster, was kidnapped by American Indians and held one night on Rollstone Hill.
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1730 - Fitchburg is settled
Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
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In 1735, the first resident of Fitchburg was David Page, son of Samuel Page, one of the original founders of Lancaster. His home was located near what is now Pearl and Blossom Streets. Page soon moved to Vermont.
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1764 - Fitchburg is incorporated
Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
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In 1776, Fitchburg sent 176 service to fight in the Revolutionary War. The town’s total population was 800.
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In 1804, Thomas French built Fitchburg’s first paper mill.
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The year 1816 was called "1800 and froze to death."
In June, temperatures dropped to freezing and stayed that way all summer. Crops froze, birds died in the woods, animals died from lack of food, the... Read MORE...
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The first edition of the Fitchburg Sentinel was published on December 20, 1838.
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In 1842 Alvah Crocker raised $750,000 to build a railroad that would connect Fitchburg to Boston and also to points west.
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1845 - FITCHBURG. [Pop. 2,604. Inc. 1764.]
Fitchburg, originally a part of Lunenburg, and including a part of Ashby, was probably named after John Fitch, one of its own citizens at the... Read MORE...
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1848 - Fitchburg
This town was originally a part of the town of Lunenburg, and wholly included in the grant made to the proprietors of Turkey Hill. It was... Read MORE...
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Beautiful Fitchburg, MA Postcards From the Past
Beautiful Fitchburg, MA Postcards From the Past (www.youtube.com) -
1854 - Fitchburg
Fitchburg, a thriving post-town of Worcester co., Mass., 50 miles N.W. of Boston, is the terminus of three important railroads, has 2 banks and 1... Read MORE...
1854 - The Destructive Gate - Its Effects at the East.
...In Fitchburg, the large brick engine-house, belonging to the Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad Company, was blown over with a tremendous crash, a... Read MORE...
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After his wife complained about the difficulty in using sewing patterns from magazines, Fitchburg business man Ebenezer Butterick created the first sewing patterns for men’s dress shirts in 1863.
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Fitchburg sent 824 men to battle in the Civil War. Of them, 142 were killed.
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The current site of Lincoln Drug on Water Street was once a women’s prison that held women in the Civil War who were charged as spies.
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1872 - Fitchburg is incorporated as a city
Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
1887 - HORSE CAR ACCIDENT. A PANIC ON A STREET RAILWAY RESULTS FATALLY.
Fitchburg, Mass., July 5. - (Special Telegram to the Bee) -- A terrible accident occurred yesterday afternoon of the Fitchburg horse railroad in... Read MORE...
1889 - A Narrow Escape.
George E. Hayward narrowly escaped being crushed by the falling of a gravel roof about 6 p.m., Friday. The wooden ell of the brick building, 337 and... Read MORE...
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Fitchburg Massachusetts, 1890
FITCHBURG is a flourishing manufacturing city, the semi-capital of Worcester County, situated in its northeasterly section, 50 miles from Boston by... Read MORE...
1893 - Fire
Fire caught on W. A. Garno's boiler and engine house, probably from the furnace, about 9 p. m., Saturday, and an alarm was rung in from Box 37, to... Read MORE...
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1895 - Fitchburg
Fitch'burg, a city and one of the capitals of Worcester co., Mass., on the Nashua River, 50 miles W.N.W. of Boston, and 26 miles N. of Worcester. It... Read MORE...
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In 1905, after being frustrated by trying to figure out how much a half teaspoon was, Fitchburg resident Francis Boutelle invented the first half-teaspoon measure, selling 40,000 through mail order.
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In 1907, the entire mounted police of Moscow Russia were equipped with Iver Johnson revolvers made in Fitchburg.
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1912 - WRECK ON BOSTON & MAINE.
Two Killed When Engine and Train Have a Collision.
FITCHBURG, Mass., Nov. 16. - One railroad employe[sic] was killed, another probably fatally... Read MORE...
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1916
Fitchburg, a city and one of the capitals of Worcester co. Mass., on the Nashua River, 50 miles WNW. of Boston, and on the Boston and Maine and the... Read MORE...
1927 - Flood
...A railroad accident was averted at Fitchburg, Mass., early today when police flagged a Boston and Main train after discovering a washout... The Oelwein Daily Register
Iowa
November 4, 1927
Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA Genealogy
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