History of Athol, Massachusetts, USA

Athol, Massachusetts
Worcester county. The Indian name of this town was Paquoig. This pleasant place lies 60 miles W.N.W. from Boston, 28 N.W. from Worcester, and about 24 W. from Fitchburg. Miller's river is a fine stream, and affords Athol a great water power. The manufactures of Athol consist of cotton goods, boots, shoes, leather, paper, iron castings, scythes, ploughs, cabinet ware, machinery, straw bonnets, palm leaf hats, shoe pegs, harnesses, shoe and hat boxes, pails, sashes, doors, and blinds;—annual amount about $175,000. Incorporated, 1762. Population, 1837, 1,603.

Poquoiag, the Indian name of this place, and of MUler's River, was retained until it was incorporated.

Miller's River receives Tully's River, which is a branch of it, in
this town, and both afford fine sites for factories.

The chief manufactures are cotton goods and boots and shoes.

Distance from Worcester, 32 miles ; from Boston, 70.

This town was granted to a company of 60 persons by the general court, previous to 1734, in which year, in June, the proprietors met at Concord, and, in presence of a committee of the general court, whereof the Hon. William Dudley was chairman, drew their house lots in the township of Peyqauge. This was the Indian name of the place, and it was known by this appellation until it was incorporated, in 1762.

This tract was a seat of the Indians, and at the time of its being granted was a frontier township, and greatly exposed; and the settlement of the place was obstructed by the French and Indian war, which commenced in 1744, and continued several years. Previously to the breaking out of that war several families had seated themselves here, but, for fear of the Indians, they were obliged, as other infant plantations, to live in garrisons several years, and to labor at their various occupations with their military armor by them. It is believed, however, that only one person was ever...

Athol, a post-township of Worcester county, Massachusetts, about 60 miles W. N. W. from Boston, intersected by Miller's river, which affords abundant water-power, and by the Vermont and Mass. railroad. It is noted for its manufactures of leather, machinery, %c. Population, 2033.

Athol is a very active and flourishing town of 4,758 inhabitants and 1,116 dwelling-houses, lying in the northwesterly section of Worcester County, 83 miles from Boston by rail. The Fitchburg Railroad passes through Athol village ; where is also the terminus of the Springfield and Athol Railroad, connecting with southern towns. It is bounded on the north by Royalston, on the east by the same and Phillipston, on the southeast by Petersham, and on the west by New Salem and Orange. The post-offices are Athol (depot), Athol Centre and South Athol. The villages are these and Eaglesville, Partridgeville, Riceville and Wheelerville. The area is 20,411 acres, or about 36 square miles, including highways and water surfaces. About 7,523 acres are forest, mostly of pine, chestnut and oak. There are some old maple and elm trees along the highways ; and the town reports 11,606 fruit trees. The underlying rock is calcareous gneiss, in which occur specimens of allanite, fibrolite, epidote and...

Athol, formerly Athol Depot, a post-village of Worcester co., Mass., on Miller's River, and on the Vermont & Massachusetts Railroad, at its junction with the Athol branch of the Boston & Albany Railroad, 48 miles N.N.E. of Springfield, and 33 miles W. of Fitchburg. It has a high school, 3 churches, 2 banks, 1 foundry, and manufactures of boots, shoes, woollen cloth, sash and blinds, furniture, billiard-tables, piano-cases, &c. Three weekly newspapers are published in Athol. It is about 1 mile from Athol Centre. Pop. of the township (1890), 6319.