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Athol is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,299 at the 2000 census. Athol is a scenic community located between the picturesque Tully Mountains to the north and the Quabbin Reservoir to the south. The Town of Athol is part of Worcester County, and is located in the North Quabbin region of north central Massachusetts. It is bordered on the southwest by New Salem, on the west by Orange, on the north by Royalston, on the east by Phillipston, and on the southeast by Petersham. Athol lies 38 miles north of Worcester and 71 miles west of Boston. Athol’s 32.34 square miles support a population of 11,299. The population density is 349 persons per square mile. The soil of Athol is rough and stony, and the terrain is wooded and hilly, with elevations ranging from 500 at the edge of Millers River to 1282 feet at the top of Pratt Hill near the Bearsden Forest. The Millers River is Athol’s most significant waterway and flows through the downtown area from northeast to west, towards the Connecticut River. Athol is geographically isolated from the major cultural centers of Massachusetts; consequently, its residents tend to create their own entertainment. Productions and programs are initiated by such organizations as the Athol Area YMCA, the Athol Historical Society, the Athol-Orange Rotary, the schools, and the Athol Public Library. The Athol Cultural Council provides funds for some of these programs. In addition, several community groups such as the Athol Lions Club provide annual entertainment for the community such as the Summerfest and River Rat Race. On the second week of April each year, the town's largest event is a local canoe race named "The River Rat Race". Thousands of spectators line the banks of the Millers River to watch 300 plus canoes race from Athol to Orange. A parade is held in the morning the day of the race and a carnival is held at the Lord Pond Plaza. Local musician Ethan Stone arranges numerous events in a Tool Town Live series at the Town Hall, uptown common and Fish Park which provide both venues for area musicians to showcase their talents and family concerts for the community. Joshua Lamarche, director of Osprey Entertainment, also manages concerts called Rockathons for the Metal/Death Metal crowd, which are well received. Other popular town activities are listed below in the Culture section and are available through the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce. For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Athol, please see the article Athol (CDP), Massachusetts. History
Athol was first settled in 1735 and was officially incorporated in 1762. The Pan-Am railroad (formerly Guilford, Boston & Maine, nee Fitchburg) main line follows the east-west course of the Millers River through the center of town. Five families first settled in an area named “Pequoiag” in September 1735. When the township was incorporated in 1762, the name was changed to Athol. John Murray, one of the proprietors of the land, chose the name because the hills reminded him of his ancestral home of Blair-Atholl, Scotland. “Athol” means “pleasant place.” Early residents subsisted on agriculture and hunting. By 1791, Athol had four grist mills, six sawmills, a fulling mill, and a shop with a trip hammer, all of which were operated by water power. The Athol Cotton Factory, built in 1811, was one of the first industries to serve a market beyond the local one. Through the 1800s, textile, leather, wood, and metal industries further expanded the market for goods produced in Athol. The construction of the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad in the 1840s fostered so much industrial growth that a second line connecting Athol and Springfield was constructed in 1870. Construction of the Fitchburg Railroad, an east-west line, came through Athol in 1879, on its way to the Hoosac Tunnel and the Berkshires. The Athol Machine Company was established in 1868 in order to manufacture a chopping machine invented by Laroy S. Starrett. In 1881, Mr. Starrett established the L.S. Starrett Company, known for making quality precision tools. The company remains the town’s largest employer to this day, and thus does Athol live up to the nickname “Tool Town.” As industries developed along the river valley, homes and stores grew up around the common located on the hill southeast of the factories. This area, today called “Uptown,” was the location of the first bank. The first trolley lines, established in 1894, ran from Athol to Orange, and additional lines soon provided efficient transportation to surrounding areas. Because of its development of industry, commerce, and transportation, Athol was the center of activity for the entire area at the turn of the century. During the 1930s, the trolley lines closed due to the increased use of private automobiles, bus service, and the generally difficult economic times. When four Swift River towns were flooded to create the Quabbin Reservoir, the Springfield railroad route had to be abandoned. Consequently, Athol’s growth leveled off as commerce became increasingly dependent on the interstate highway system. Population reached a peak of 12,186 in 1955. The Route 2 bypass of Athol was constructed in the 1950s, further limiting direct access to the downtown business district. The following years showed population decline, falling to a low of 10,634 in 1980. However, Athol’s population has risen gradually since that time and shows every indication of growing. A history of Athol, entitled Hometown Chronicles was published in 1985. It was written by town historian Dick Chaisson. Research Tips
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