Athol

History

Originally called Pequoiag when settled by Native Americans, the area was subsequently settled by five families 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 which was believed to mean "New Ireland" although some historians, including James E. Fraser, dispute this definition. Early residents subsisted on agriculture and hunting. By 1791, Athol had four gristmills, 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 significantly boosted the industrial growth, prompting the construction of a second line connecting Athol and Springfield 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 precision tools production. The company remains the town's largest employer to this day, letting Athol maintain the nickname, the "Tool Town". Further development of industry along the river valley, stimulated population growth and incentivized commerce, 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…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (2.46%) is water. The town is drained mostly by the Millers River, which flows through the downtown area from northeast to west, towards the Connecticut River. The Tully River flows into the Millers within town, and many other streams cross the town. Parts of Tully Lake and Lake Rohunta lie within town, as does Lake Ellis and several other small ponds. The soil of Athol is rough and stony, and the terrain is wooded and hilly, with elevations ranging from above sea level at the edge of the Millers River to at the top of Pratt Hill near the Bearsden Forest. A large portion of the Millers River Wildlife Management Area lies within town, as does a small portion of Petersham State Forest. Athol lies along the western edge of Worcester County, with Franklin County to the west. It is bordered by Royalston to the north, Phillipston to the east, Petersham to the south, New Salem to the southwest, and Orange to the west. From its town center, Athol lies east of Greenfield, west of Fitchburg, northwest of Worcester, and west-northwest of Boston. The vast majority of population is settled around the downtown area, with the rest of the town being relatively sparsely populated.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  7,047
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,682
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  5,487
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,092
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  5,048
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  4,827
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,671
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  4,629

Largest nearby schools

• Templeton Elementary School
  Elementary · Templeton · 644 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• Athol Community Elementary School
  Elementary · Athol · 572 students · 14:1 ratio
• Narragansett Regional High
  High · Baldwinville · 468 students · 13:1 ratio
• Athol-Royalston Middle School
  Middle · Athol · 429 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• Athol High
  High · Athol · 404 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Narragansett Middle
  Middle · Baldwinville · 359 students · 14.4:1 ratio
• Royalston Community School
  Elementary · Royalston · 158 students · 12.2:1 ratio
• Petersham Center
  Elementary · Petersham · 126 students · 14:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2023-12-23
  5 km SW of Chichester, New Hampshire
• M 2.8 — 2016-03-21
  4 km ESE of Warner, New Hampshire
• M 2.6 — 2015-01-13
  2 km E of Wauregan, Connecticut
• M 3.3 — 2015-01-12
  0 km NE of Wauregan, Connecticut
• M 2.61 — 2013-10-11
  New Hampshire
• M 3.15 — 2010-09-26
  2 km SW of Canterbury, New Hampshire