Description
Auhor: Elizabeth Peirce
The Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts was created in 1938 to supply the state's growing population with a source of drinking water. More than two thousand people were displaced when the Quabbin Valley was flooded. Three branches of the Swift River were dammed, and five towns—Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, Prescott, and parts of New Salem—were covered with water. "The Lost Towns of the Quabbin Valley" highlights the life and times of these towns from 1754 to 1938, when the inhabitants were told that "All Must Leave." The architectural landscape of the Quabbin Valley at one time included churches, cemeteries, schoolhouses, post offices, homes, and businesses. This book presents rare photographs of town life, including images of students at the first Hillside School and Dr. Mary Walker, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and Greenwich summer resident. The images are drawn from the archives of the Swift River Valley Historical Society. Although the towns are gone, their stories are alive and well.
Elizabeth Peirce, museum president and curator of the Swift River Valley Historical Society, has worked to preserve the history of the Quabbin Valley for many years. This book is a joint effort of museum members and former residents of the Quabbin Valley.
