History of Westfield, Massachusetts, USA

The cannons were captured from the British at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. They were transported from Lake Champlain to Dorchester Heights, Massachusetts and used by George Washington's army on March 17, 1776 (Evacuation Day) to free Boston from British control during the American Revolutionary War.

General Henry Knox Trail - Historic Marker reads:
"Through this place passed General Henry Knox in the winter of 1775-1776 to deliver to General George Washington at Cambridge the train of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga used to force the British army to evacuate Boston."

Westfield, Massachusetts
Hampden county. This is a place of singular beauty, on Westfield river. It lies in a valley or basin of about 4 miles in diameter, surrounded by high hills, and is supposed to have been the bed of a lake whose waters burst the Mount Tom range of mountains and discharged itself into Connecticut river.

The Hampshire and Hampden canal passes through this town, and promises great advantages to its trade and hydraulic power.

About a third part of the population of the village is engaged in making whips. The annual amount of that article manufactured here is about $160,000. There are also three powder mills in the town, and manufactures of tin ware, ploughs, boots, shoes, leather, cigars, palm-leaf hats, chairs, cabinet and wooden wares: total annual value, about $250,000.

The Westfield academy is in high standing: it has considerable funds, and its annual number of scholars is about 400.

Westfield was first settled in 1659. Incorporated in 1669. It...

We are informed by the Springfield Republican and Boston Transcript, of the details of a terrible accident which occurred on Tuesday, on the Western Railroad, near Westfield, Mass. The Eastern and Western trains came in contact, from the fact that the train from the West was behind its time, and the other train went on, the conductor hoping to arrive at the next turn-out before meeting the other train. The baggage-cars of each train were behind, of course, bringing the passenger cars directly behind the locomotives and tenders. The two locomotives and two or three passenger cars of each train were smashed to a complete wreck. The passengers were jammed and tumbled together in the ruins in dreadful confusion.

We informed that eighteen or twenty have limbs broken; and many more are severely bruised and lacerated in various ways. MR. WARREN, the conductor of the train from the West, was so injured that he died the next morning. The engineer of that train escaped without much injury....

This town was called Warronoco by the Indians, and Westfield by the English, because it was the most westerly settlement of the colony. It once included Southwick and Russell, and was united to Springfield.

Little River, a branch of Westfield River, unites with it near the main village.

The settlers were few in number at the time of Philip's War, but they suffered considerably.

The soil is good, though various. The only manufactures of note are whips and gunpowder. A State Normal School is here. Distance from Springfield, 10 miles; from Boston, 97.

Westfield, a flourishing post-village of Hampden co., Massachusetts, on the West- field river, and on the Western railroad, 10 miles W. N. W. from Springfield. It is delightfully situated in a plain bordered with beautiful hills. In the centre is a fine public square, around which are situated the principal stores. The village contains 2 or 3 churches, a town house, 2 banks, 2 newspaper offices, and one of the state normal schools. The inhabitants are engaged in manufactures of various kinds, tho principal of which are whips. Population in 1810, 3626; in 1850, 4181.