Lost Towns of the Quabbin Reservoir
The lost towns of the Quabbin Reservoir aren’t your typical ghost towns. Learn why they were abandoned, and how they came to be under water.
By Bethany Bourgault|Apr 07 2022|
The Dana Congregational Church was once an integral part of the town. Now, just some stones and the path that once led to its front door remain.
Credit: Bethany BourgaultThe four lost towns of the Quabbin Reservoir — Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott — are not your typical “ghost towns.” You won’t find dusty streets, old saloons and blowing tumbleweeds here. After all, these ghost towns are underwater. They teem with life, but not the human life that they once supported. The foundations remain, but their former residents have long since settled elsewhere.
Credit: <a href="https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:pk02cm74j">Boston Public Library</a>
Lost Towns of the Quabbin Reservoir
The Quabbin area was settled in the early 1700s, and grew to a population of about 2,700 by 1938. It was well on its way to prosperity, despite hard hits from the Great Depression. But there had been talk of the area’s demise for years — since at least 1922. The eastern part of the state needed drinking water, and the government needed a place to put it. The Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission had its eye on the Swift River Valley, and there wasn’t much that the residents felt they could do to divert its gaze.
Initially, the residents thought they would be safe. The scope of the project — relocating all those people and the homes, schools, churches, and shops that they and their ancestors had worked for so long to develop — would surely cause the government to look elsewhere. As if that weren’t enough, they would also have to exhume and relocate 7,613 bodies from local cemeteries. Surely there was a better solution.
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
The Swift River Act legalized the impossible, though, and after its passage in 1927, residents of the valley faced a hard deadline. They had until April 27, 1938 to pick up and move their entire livelihoods elsewhere, aided by a governmental allowance of $108 per acre lost. That night, a ball was held in the town of Enfield to give the residents one last night together as a community. Those who were unable to get tickets danced to the music on the Town Hall’s lawn — no one was going to miss this event. When the clock struck midnight on April 28, the towns were legally no more. The flooding began several months later.
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Today, the Quabbin Reservoir is 39 square miles of gorgeous lake landscape. It holds 412 billion gallons of water, picking up another 1.6 billion for every inch of rainfall. It continues to serve as an irreplaceable water supply for eastern Massachusetts residents. Though it is no longer the largest manmade source of water in the world, it is still among the largest in the region.
The last of the towns’ residents moved out in late 1938 (some were delayed by that year’s infamous hurricane). The promise that their sacrifices would be for the greater good was just a small offset to the bitter sadness they felt about being forced out of their homes. Those who had lived out their entire lives in the area felt the loss most deeply — the flooding process took several years, meaning that some would never get a chance to go back. Younger residents who were eventually able to visit found some comfort in the area’s new, natural beauty, but felt the sharp sting of nostalgia all the same.
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
The road to the old town common in Dana is now one of the most highly trafficked trails near the reservoir. Much of Dana, including the common, was at enough of an elevation that when the waters came, it stayed high and dry. What remains is a small, triangular patch of grass marked by memorials and cellar foundations. Photos of the buildings as they were before the flooding show visitors what they would have been looking at, had they planned their visit 80 years earlier.
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
The easiest way to reach the area is to park at Gate 40, off of Route 32A in Petersham, and take the 1.7-mile stroll down Old Dana Road. Once there, visitors can see the foundations of old homes, the school, town hall, the Eagle Hotel, and a field where the cemetery once was. The bodies that once occupied this plot of land now reside in Quabbin Park Cemetery in Ware.
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Each cellar has a story; each foundation gives a clue about lives lived long ago. Some are easy to miss — the treetops emerging from their depths appear to be bushes. Others remain more fully intact, a testament to the craftsmanship of those who built Dana all those years ago.
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Credit: Bethany Bourgault
Surviving residents, who, over the years, have worked to ensure that their hometowns will not be forgotten, are now in their 90s. They’ve organized reunions and dedication ceremonies, erected monuments, and maintained trails. Informative books, educational tours, and a welcoming visitor center have helped to secure the area’s history in the consciousness of the next generations, perpetuating the countless stories of the towns that history almost forgot. Now, many descendents of those residents have taken on the task of preserving those stories, too.
You certainly don’t have to be a descendant of the Quabbin towns to enjoy the area, though. The natural, forest environment has made the Quabbin Reservoir a desirable resource for local fishermen, explorers, and naturalists. Be sure to read up on the rules of the trails before your visit — some trails don’t allow dogs or bikes. It’s also worth doing some research on the stories that have been shared over the years. That way, when you’re in the area, you can see what they once saw.
It’s the best way to make a “ghost town” come back to life.
The Dana town common can be reached on foot, less than two miles from Gate 40, off Rt. 32A in Petersham, MA. Check out the WGBY/PBS documentary, “Under Quabbin” for a unique look into the reservoir’s waters.
This post was first published in 2016 and has been updated.
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How about a story about the town that suffered the same fate in the creation of the current reservoir in West Boylston, Mass.?
I would love to read such a story. My great-grandparents, (The Harris family) lost everything when Boston flooded West Boylston so they could build a reservoir for themselves. My ancestors lost their beautiful homes and the mills.
My mother and family lived in Enfield (Sheffield) and my Dad, Russell
Thornquist, was one of the engineers on the project. I was disappointed there was nothing about Enfield in you article.
Connecticut has some towns that are under water ,. Lake Zoar in Newtown and Candlewood Lake in Danbury ,. on days when the water level is low you can see some of the buildings ,. there’s a couple others I understand ,.
My Uncle Henry LaFrance was an engineer on this project (Army Corp) and before Quabbin was filled he drove us through the reservoir one Sunday afternoon. I was eight years old at the time. Remember it well. Did not know what towns were taken. very interesting article.
Hi Joe would like to connect. I am connected to Henry Lafrance via his daughter Lucille (MIL) and she has told us often about Henry’s work on the Quabbin. Lucille is 98 and still lives in Wayland
Clearly this land was taken away by force from these early settlers of Massachusetts for what today is a pittance of its total value. This was done so that the bullies of Boston could wash their Audi’s and Mercedes’ into the next millennia. Perhaps, their descendants should now be given the right to open a sparkling casino overlooking their grand lake!
Good story about the towns, great pictures of what you can see now. A correction, though – the hurricane of 1938 was Sept. 21, 1938, so it would not have precluded anyone from leaving by April 27, 1938.
I believe there were some hold outs whom did not accept the original offer of $108 per an acre. They stayed past the deadline and were offered even less ($56 per an acre).
This is a very interesting article. I enjoy reading articles about the area since my family lived in Enfield. Also, my father did a lot of the Core Drilling for the dam. I would be interested in reading other articles about the area.
I have several photographs from the late 20’s and early 30’s from Camp Quabbin and the kids who were camping and participating in sports there. Ever heard of it?
Scituate Rhode Island was taken in the same way. There were five villages and so much history that was list, thanks to the City of Providence. Now they want to sell it to fund there pension fund and leave the town with a large chunk of our tax base gone. It would be taken over and tax free. Just a few years ago they sued to get it reevaluated as farm land thus lowering the tax. Sad when so much history can just be ripped away from its people. As Mayflower decendant history is so very important.
Many of my late husband’s ancestor’s graves were moved due to the Scituate Reservoir. I’ve often wondered just what towns were inundated and lost.
Maureen
My father told me of the years he spent at the CCC camp in Orange during the mid 1930’s and the work they did in connection with the relocation of the town’s cemeteries. Amazing to read the story.
my grandfather was born in north dana, his father dies in 1915 and was one of the graves that was moved to the quabbin park cemetery. my aunt before she died gave me copies of the paperwork, the amount of time and effort that went into in is staggering. also, on my grandmother’s side, they were from greenwich. A lot of people in that area was affected by the Quabbin Resevoir
I have read of this area many times in novels by Carla Neggers…we have visited NE several times but have not gone to this area…def on my bucket list for next trip. I love Carla Neggers’ books because she is very descriptive of this area, esp. her Swift River series. GREAT ARTICLE
The Maine towns of Flagstaff, Bigelow, Dead River and Carrying Place were similarly flooded in the 1950s with the creation of Flagstaff Lake which controls the flow of water for hydroelectric power plants along the Kennebec River.
This was the first thing I thought of when reading about Quabbin. My husband’s family lived in that area and my mother in law has a piece of furniture that was carried on on a back right before the flood. Now, we have a friend who owns a camp in the area who has told us that when the sun is right you can see what’s left of the towns when flying overhead.
Documentary on the Swift River Valley Historical Society. Shows scenes of the four towns (before and after), explains the need for water, describes the reservoir, and discusses the Swift River Valley Historical Society museum up in New Salem.
My brother’s wife, her parents and brothers were people that had to move. Try this today and see how far your get.
The good folks of Western Massachusetts were willing to do whatever they could to ensure that the residents of Boston, etc were able to enjoy a good quality of life. They were repaid by an ever increasing tax burden that benefits disproportionately Eastern Mass. Now we are told that the waterline leaks as much water on the journey as arrives for the benefit of Boston and surrounds.
This happened in my late Dad’s lifetime…Quabbin was a place..as kids..where he and his friends hunted and fished…….Many of our extended family lived in the area and from the tales he told me…it was not a happy time..most people were resentful of Boston he often said……..still…he told me of the deer and other beasts that lived in the semi-wilderness. Even when his tales of seeing bears and moose were discounted…he insisted they lived there and died with the flood……..If you wanted to hunt deer back then..the name you heard was Petersham…even when I returned with a new wife for a short visit..I was encouraged by my brother to join them in a deer hunt to Petersham(1966)……It surprised me how many hunters I encountered and more so by the locals in their 60’s and 70’s who said they lived there all their lives and had never seen a deer…So it was a thrill when I happen to take a 4 year old doe with my JC Higgins SxS 20 ga..The lawful technique back then was to use 00 buckshot in one barrel and a slug in the other….The buckshot was used thru brush or at a moving deer..the slug was to finish the job……I only used the slug for a clean one shot kill……Even then..as you worked thru the woods..you could see why it was once described as wilderness…it really must have been wild in the days when the Pilgrims got their water from the Charles…….BTW I have taken many deer since…but that is still the only one from my home state…….Word is..that nature has reclaimed even more of the area…good for Mom Nature….
Very interesting article. I went to school in Boston with two girls from Hardwick and had been out to the Quabin a few times. Very lovely.
Records show that electricity came to the Delargy farm when shaft 10 was constructed on our land. The original deed between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and my grandparent William and Helen Delargy was signed on June 11, 1931. When the shaft 10 was constructed on Delargy land, my grandfather took as partial payment poles and wires that would run from the house to the barn. The electricity came because the people digging the tunnel needed electricity to run their equipment. This changed life forever on the farm. No more candle and kerosene lamps to illuminate the buildings. Before electricity, the day was over when the sun went down. As children we played on top of the shaft, not realizing that it was 412 feet deep. It was a new beginning for many people.
Hello Norene, I just recently saw your post in the Lost Town of Quabbin article on the New England Today website. My grandmother (whom I never met) was Johanna O’Connor. She and her 2 sisters, Helen and Nora, emigrated from Ballyhea, Dingle, Ireland to Massachusetts, I think around about 1900 or so. Helen married a man named William Delargy from the Hardwick area near where Quabbin was built. Nora married a man named Walter O’Leary, and settled in Great Barrington, Mass. Johanna returned to Ireland, and married a man named Patrick O’Connor (same last name as herself), and they inherited her parents’ farm. They had 3 sons and 3 daughters, several of whom emigrated to Massachusetts. One of the sons was my father. We long, long ago lost track of my father’s aunt Helen. Aunt Nora passed away, I think in the 1960s. I’m just wondering if my Grand-Aunt Helen, who married William Delargy, and lived in or near Hardwick, could be the same folks whom you mentioned in your post in Lost Towns of Quabbin. Thank you for any information that you might have available. Sincerely, Maurice O’Connor (moe.oconnor3@gmail.com)
I’m sorry, there’s a mistake in my message above. When Johanna returned to Ireland and married, her husband’s name was Michael O’Connor, and they were my grandparents. Patrick O’Connor and his wife Joanie (Dowd) were the parents of the sisters Johanna, Helen, and Nora.
My dad, Gussie Willett, and his family lived in Greenwich. His youngest sister Ardell was the last person born in Greenwich in June 1929. My grandfather Ernest was an explosive expert and the project supplied many years of work for hin as well as my dad. I have visited Quabbin several times over the years and on my last visit I was able to tell a group of school children about my dad building the fire tower we were in. He accidentally fell down the shaft injuring mostly his pride. It is a place I took my late husband,when we were dating, because of its beauty and history.
My last visit to Dana Common was a disappointment. A few of the placards were smashed off their posts. This was late 2016. I love hiking at the Quabbin and feel that it is sacred ground. Pisses me off that people could do this.
My name was mentioned in this article. I too was driven through Quabbin by
Uncle Henry but we called him Armand because my mother his sister Alma did so. He had a Ford station wagon woody. Was a civil engineer with a degree from Norwich University in Vermont.
I went to Hampshire College, in Amherst, where the dorms – Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott, along with an administrative center, Dana House – were named after Quabbin’s lost villages when the school was founded in 1969.
My grandfather was a railroad station master in the Oakham area, at that time. When we were kids, my parents would take him back to the area for picnics and long walks on the trails. He’d always find the front door step left behind. He’d show us where the old jail foundation was, too. We always wondered about the lone flag of a veteran soldier up on a little hill, all by itself. I wondered if, and how much money, people were offered to move. Never got to ask my grandfather.
I remember reading that there was a gentleman (I believe now of Hampden MA ?} that used to visit his former home’s foundation in Enfield on his birthday.
Would be great if he could tell his memories first hand.
Bay State Hospital ‘Senior Class’ offers a bus tour of portions of the Quabbin Reservoir each fall that includes a walk into Dana with a very knowledgeable guide. It is a nice way to experience Quabbin.
I just completed a class through Mt. Holyoke College, my alma mater, on the Quabbin. Speakers included family members of those who lost their homes. I urge visitors to visit the Swift River Museum in New Salem, where many artifacts and photographs of the 4 towns are kept. More than 25 men lost their lives building the reservoir. “U-Tube” has a musical poem telling about the towns. A notable piece of information: hearings on the proposal were all held in Boston, making it extremely difficult for residents to discuss the issue. And, according to documents and stories, some people knew in advance of the plans and made fortunes, while others lost everything they had saved. One resident paid $4000 for his home and land less than 2 years before being told to move out. He received $1750 for his land and home. Wildlife is returning, but a recent attempt to reintroduce the Eastern Rattlesnake has been fought heavily.
When I was a young man back in the 1950’s I worked on a Pig farm where I thought the name was Dodge Massachusetts or perhaps a family named that. Do we have any one here that may recall such a name among the four towns that were flooded for qua bin Thank you for any responce Carl
My grandfather, Charles Sumner Knight, was in charge for the evacuations of the people, the buildings, the animals, and the overseeing of the flooding on the final day in1938. My parents & siblings lived in Enfield until it was time to leave. We always have had reverence for the towns and Quabbin!
My Grandfather, Harry King Sr. grew up in Greenwich, Ma. His brother Will owned the General Store in that town. His stories of that place always made me sad that we could never visit the place of his youth, so close yet completely gone.
Hello, When I was a kid growing up in MA. My parents used to take us for picnics to Quabbin reservoir (1950s-1960s) The reason for going there was that my mom’s family had had a home there in Nichuaug (sp). We used to have to cross over a creek on a wire bridge. I’m wondering if there are records of residents of those towns, and how I would go about researching where my relatives home was? Great website, beautiful pictures. Brad Williams
Live in s.c. Now for 3 years, so often talk about our old home town of Southampton, Ma. Always talk of what we miss, and Quabbin is always on the top of our list along with the Summit House and Mt. Tom. Western Mass area has so much to offer.
How many of the Enfield people who were flooded out of MA went on to live in Enfield, CT?
I was born in Athol MA but lived in No. Dana, MA from 1934-1938 with my parents and aunt until her house was taken for the development of the Quabbin reservoir project in 1938. Many fond memoris from my ” toddler” years. emories! y
My uncle, Henry Edward Allen, grew up in Dana and relocated to Holbrook when Dana was flooded.
I need to visit this place! No one in my direct family really knows of this, and it would be something interesting to visit a homestead and workplace of an old relative. Even though it’s grim in nature, this is history that I cant ignore with the lack of knowledge I have of my family!
Would be interested in any memories or referrals to someone who might have memory of Christmas in these lost towns – esp. the last Christmas there. Any suggestions?
Just visited this area yesterday (10/27/19). Took a bike ride to the common to see the town then a side trip to the tip of Pottapaug Pond. Once done, we west of the town common and then into the woods to visit the 1955 airplane crash site. If you’re going, allow a few hours. Parking is OK, but not overly in abundance especially on a summer’s weekend.
Enjoy your articles. Bring back lots of memories.
I grew up in New Braintree (the little town that dumped Dukakis). Several of our town residents were refugees from the Quabbin reservoir land grab. Many of the towns around the reservoir remain small because state law forbids industry from building near the water table…this means there are still many small towns around the reservoir today! Never forget the Battle of New Braintree during the Shays Rebellion from Daniel Shays of Prescott, MA.!
Id love to go visit the dana common my great grandfather was a harness maker live in belchertown on kimball street i wish i could find someone who knew him im sure he traveled thru the the towns his name was ernest booth anyone with information id gladly like to hear or see contact autumnangel964@gmail.com
This is very similar to what happened to at least three-to-four villages in Ulster County, NY. But it happened in the late 1910s. Without much warning, the residents of these villages had to move out because greedy New York City wanted a better water supply. The Ashokan Reservoir was built. Another was the Neversink Reservoir, a former Dutch village: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-york/sunken-town-ny/. When the water is low, you can still see the roofs of some of the structures that used to be there. The people of the county, you see, had no say. NYC was extremely greedy (and still is, if not worse). It is very sad that this took place.
Thanks for sharing. I had seen that story about the Ulster County towns. So true what you say about the similarities. The creation of the Quabbin was very controversial and typical of a sparsely populated area trying to fight the well connected politicians/bureaucrats of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. When you tell someone that you are from Massachusetts many of their first impressions are of the densely populated areas surrounding Boston. When you tell them you live in Western Mass, they may think of places like UMass Amherst or possibly Springfield if they are a fan of Basketball and know that it’s the birthplace as well as home to the Hall of Fame.
Outside of the cities that dot the map in certain areas, Western Mass can be quite rural with many farms and forests.
My great grandparents were dairy farmers in Doubleday Village which is between Dana and North Dana. Their 2 graves were among the 7,613 that were excavated. They were originally interred in Brown’s Cemetery in North Dana. They are now in the Quabbin Park Cemetery off Route 9. And I just happened to visit their grave site just a few hours ago. I was researching some information and came across this article.
Someone may have mentioned this in prior comments but the definitive book on the story of this reservoir is “Quabbin: The Lost Valley” by Donald Howe. It was first published in 1951. It’s a rare book but you may still find some copies for sale. I own an original copy but how I came about it is a story onto itself.
The Quabbin Visitors Center has the book and I was there one day looking through it. It lists the names of many of the people who lived in the 4 Towns. And to my surprise there were the names of some of my relatives. When I turned the pages to the reference it went to a copy of a letter written by one of my Great Uncles (George brother to my Grandfather Arthur) to the Springfield Union (MA) newspaper on July 22, 1938. He writes about growing up in Dana. When George married he resided in the Town of Greenwich, one of the four taken along with Enfield and Prescott.
I could not believe all the information I was finding in this book. When I asked at the Center where could I get a copy, the gentleman there said “Good luck with that”. But he did give me information on how to contact the Author’s daughter who is the Illustrator and son–in-law who was the Editor. When I told them of finding George’s letter in the book, they invited me to their home. Mr. Howe had passed several years prior. And I left that evening with the “signed” copy I now own (at a very fair price). Mr. Howe had signed several copies for all of his grandchildren. But, as was explained to me by his daughter, in his older years he forgot how many he had signed and ended up with some duplicates. The copy I have is inscribed as “For Stuart from ‘Grampy’ Don”.
Besides the museum in Still River, be sure to visit the Quabbin Visitor Center. Lots of information, maps, etc. Wonderful staff. If you are interested in family names of people from the towns, look for the town maps from the 1870s which give the owner’s name on each house. They should be available at local libraries, and may be purchased at Brookfield Orchard.
I lived northwest of the Quabbin for several years and heard a story of a lone grave in the forest that was missed when the towns were cleared, and that if a hiker knew where to find it, they could hike to the headstone and pay their respects. (The location was not made common knowledge out of respect for the person interred there.) Do you know if it is true, and if there is any reading available on it?
Much of the land around Quabbin is closed to the public. I was privileged to walk through some of those areas with the late Robert Lord Keyes, historian of the town of Pelham. He and his brother had located the site of Daniel Shays’s home as well as the cellar hole of Conkey’s Tavern. They were in eastern Pelham, which later became the town of Prescott.
Mr. Keyes told me that some locals considered the takeover of that area to be “Boston’s revenge” for Shays’ Rebellion. The Swift River act came around the same time as the Massachusetts Historical Society shot down a proposal for a marker for Shays’ grave because “Massachusetts isn’t interested in installing monuments to traitors.”
(His grave, in Livingston, NY, recently did receive a beautiful marker, and the cemetery entrance has a large sign saying Shays is buried there.)
My dad took our family to learn about the Quabbin Reservoir when we were in elementary school. The plight of the families who were forced to move hit me hard, imagining all that they lost.
The same thing happened to my ancestors (The Harris Family). They owned the mills and beautiful homes in West Boylston, MA. Boston flooded everything so they could flood it and build a reservoir. They only got paid pennies on the dollar. They lost everything. So veery sad.
Very interesting and informative article.
My grandmother taught grades 1 – 6 in North Dana.
Unfortunately we do not see as many deer as we used to…something happened there ????
BRAVO, Again for this article ❣️❣️❣️
My family’s history is deeply involved in this life changing event. My grandfather , Charles Sumner
Knight was the last to accept the keys that night at the ball. He was heavily involved with the majority of this endeavor. My family was among the 120 people left in the town of Enfield.
We have many documented, & revered memories of living there at the time it all happened ❣️❣️❣️
I reside in Ohio but most summers we visited my grandmother in Northampton, and my Aunt who lived in Williamsburg. I was very young when we started to visit ,as my mother was born in Springfield and we went to visit her family. I grew to love Massachusetts as if it were my own. I remember visiting a place near my Aunt’s town Williamsburg, that had a man made dam also, similar to Quabbin, but I can’t remember the name. Is anyone familiar with this?
Roberts Meadow Reservoir?
Would you be thinking of The Brassworks in Haydenville as there is a Dam behind there that was handmade