Greenwich, Massachusetts

Greenwich (/ˈɡrinwɪtʃ/)[1] was a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The town was lost as a result of the formation of the Quabbin Reservoir in order to supply Boston's growing water needs.

Greenwich, Massachusetts
Town
Photograph from 'The Meeting-House'
depicted in Quabbin; the story of a small town with outlooks upon Puritan life
by Francis H. Underwood
Coordinates: 42°21′33″N 72°17′47″W
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyHampshire
Incorporated1739
DisincorporatedApril 28, 1938
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)Eastern

History
Early-1900s postcard of Greenwich Village train station

Greenwich was established in 1739 as Quabbin, incorporated as Quabbin Parish in 1754, and became the town of Greenwich (named for John Campbell, Duke of Greenwich) in 1754. It was located along the East and Middle branches of the Swift River. The Athol Branch of the Boston and Albany Railroad ran through the center of town, as did Route 21. It was well known for its lakes and ponds, which were popular vacation spots. It bordered four towns—Enfield, Prescott, Dana, and Hardwick.

H.P. Lovecraft's fictional town of Dunwich in his seminal story "The Dunwich Horror" was partially based on the town of Greenwich.[2] Additionally, H. P. Lovecraft's story "The Colour Out of Space" is set in this valley before it was flooded for the reservoir.[3]

Greenwich was disincorporated on April 28, 1938, as part of the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir. Upon disincorporation, portions of the town were annexed to the adjacent towns of Hardwick, New Salem, Petersham, and Ware. (Because of the redrawing of town lines, the land is no longer completely in Hampshire County; only the portion located in Ware is.) Because most of Greenwich was at lower elevation than the surrounding towns, it is now largely submerged, except for the hilltops of Curtis Hill, Mount Lizzie and Mount Pomeroy, which are now islands.

Notable residents
  • Greenwich House, an on-campus living facility at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, is named after the former town.

References
  1. Peirce, Elizabeth. Images of America: The Lost Towns of Quabbin Valley. Arcadia Publishing, 2003. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-7385-1219-8
  2. https://archive.org/details/Lovecraft_Studies_13v05n02_1986-Fall_CosmicJukebox/page/n19/mode/2up
  3. Charles P. Mitchell, The Complete H. P. Lovecraft Filmography p.9 (2001).
  • Tougias, Michael. Quabbin: A History and Explorer's Guide. Yarmouth Port, Mass.: On Cape Publications, 2002.


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