Quabbin Valley: People and Places

Images of America: Massachusetts

by Elizabeth Peirce

When the population of Boston exploded in the late 1800s, the critical need to expand the public water supply was realized. In response to this, all eyes focused northward to the Quabbin Valley, with its many ponds, lakes, and streams. To harness this source of water, the towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott were flooded and destroyed. Residents, buildings, and 7,500 bodies buried in cemeteries were removed. By 1938, there was no longer any evidence of human habitation in the area. Through vintage photographs, Quabbin Valley People and Places shares the stories of how these people lived, worked, and played from 1750 to 1938.

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 17, 2006