Lost Towns of the Swift River Valley: Drowned by the Quabbin

Download or read book Lost Towns of the Swift River Valley: Drowned by the Quabbin written by Elena Palladino and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2022-10-10 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In April 1938, Swift River Valley residents held a farewell ball to mark the demise of the quintessential New England town of Enfield and its three smaller neighbors, Greenwich, Dana, and Prescott. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts sacrificed these three towns to build the Quabbin, a massive reservoir of drinking water for residents of Boston. Three prominent residents attended the somber occasion. Marion Andrews Smith was the last surviving member of an important manufacturing family. Willard "Doc" Segur was the valley's beloved country doctor and town leader. And Edwin Henry Howe was Enfield's postmaster and general store proprietor. They helped build their beloved community for decades, only to watch grief-stricken as it was destroyed by 400 billion gallons of water. Author and historian Elena Palladino recounts the story of these communities as seen through eyes of those who lived there until the end.