Prescott, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prescott, Massachusetts
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"Old Prescott Town Hall"
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| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Hampshire |
| Incorporated | 1822 |
| Disincorporated | April 28, 1938 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern |
Prescott was a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It was created in 1822 from parts of Pelham and New Salem. The town was named after Colonel William Prescott, a hero from the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Prescott was officially dissolved on April 28, 1938. This happened because its land was needed to create the Quabbin Reservoir. The reservoir is a very large water supply for Boston. Prescott was the smallest of the four towns that were removed for the reservoir. By 1900, it had only about 300 residents.
After the town was dissolved, parts of Prescott were added to the nearby towns of New Salem and Petersham. Most of the former town, especially the part that went to New Salem, is still above water. This area is now known as the Prescott Peninsula. The public is not usually allowed on the peninsula. However, the Swift River Valley Historical Society offers special tours and hikes each year.
Today, the land that was once Prescott is spread across different counties. The New Salem part is in Franklin County. The Petersham part is in Worcester County.
Contents
Life in Old Prescott
Just like the nearby town of Dana, when Prescott was dissolved, many houses were moved or torn down. However, you can still find the old cellar holes where buildings once stood.
Moved Buildings
The Prescott First Congregational Church was a church in the village of Prescott Four Corners. It was moved to South Hadley and is now part of the Joseph Allen Skinner Museum.
The Atkinson Tavern was once an important building in the small village of Atkinson Hollow. Today, it stands in West Springfield, Massachusetts. It has been renovated and expanded and is now called the Storrowton Tavern. It is located on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition.
The former Town Hall was once just south of Atkinson Hollow. It is now located off Route 32 in Petersham. It is not open to the public.
North Prescott Village
The village of North Prescott was on the border between Prescott and New Salem. Some parts of it are still open to the public. The site of the North Prescott Methodist Episcopal Church is empty now. However, the old parsonage, which was the minister's home, is still there. It is now a private home.
The church building itself was moved in 1985. It is now home to the Swift River Valley Historical Society in North New Salem. Before that, the church was moved to Orange in 1949. A few other buildings from North Prescott also remain.
Historical Connections
Daniel Shays' Home
Daniel Shays, who led a historical event known as Shays' Rebellion in 1787, lived in a part of Pelham that later became southern Prescott. The place where his home once stood is still above water. However, his house was gone by 1927, and the site is not open to the public.
Conkey Tavern
The Conkey Tavern was located roughly west of where Shays' home was. This tavern was a key meeting place where the plans for Shays' Rebellion were largely made. The site of the Conkey Tavern is now underwater, covered by the Quabbin Reservoir.
Modern Connections
From 1969 to 2011, the former site of Prescott Center was home to the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory. This observatory had a 14-meter radio telescope used for scientific research. The work done there is now continued using a larger 50-meter Large Millimeter Telescope in Mexico.
There is also a living facility at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, called Prescott House. It is named after the former town.
Other Quabbin Towns
Prescott was one of four towns that were disincorporated to create the Quabbin Reservoir. The other three towns were:
Images for kids
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The Golden Rule Grange Hall in Prescott, February 15, 1928.
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Old town line sign between New Salem and Prescott.
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