Athol (, ) is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,945 at the 2020 census. It contains the census-designated place of the same name.
History
Originally called Pequoiag when settled by Native Americans, the area was subsequently settled by five families in September 1735. When the township was incorporated in 1762, the name was changed to Athol. John Murray, one of the proprietors of the land, chose the name which was believed to mean "New Ireland" although some historians, including James E. Fraser, dispute this definition.
Early residents subsisted on agriculture and hunting. By 1791, Athol had four gristmills, six sawmills, a fulling mill, and a shop with a trip hammer, all of which were operated by water power. The Athol Cotton Factory, built in 1811, was one of the first industries to serve a market beyond the local one. Through the 1800s, textile, leather, wood, and metal industries further expanded the market for goods produced in Athol. The construction of the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad in the 1840s significantly boosted the industrial growth, prompting the construction of a second line connecting Athol and Springfield in 1870. Construction of the Fitchburg Railroad, an east-west line, came through Athol in 1879, on its way to the Hoosac Tunnel and the Berkshires.
The Athol Machine Company was established in 1868 in order to manufacture a chopping machine invented by Laroy S. Starrett. In 1881, Mr. Starrett established the L. S. Starrett Company, known for precision tools production. The company remains the town's largest employer to this day, letting Athol maintain the nickname, the "Tool Town".
Further development of industry along the river valley, stimulated population growth and incentivized commerce, on the hill southeast of the factories. This area, today called Uptown, was the location of the first bank. The first trolley lines, established in 1894, ran from Athol to Orange, and additional lines soon connected surrounding areas. Consistent development of industry, commerce, and transportation, made Athol the attraction point of the entire area at the start of the 20th century.
During the 1930s, the trolley lines closed due to the increased use of private automobiles, bus service, and overall economic instability. When four Swift River Valley towns were flooded to create the Quabbin Reservoir, the Springfield railroad route was abandoned. Consequently, Athol's growth leveled off as commerce became increasingly dependent on the Interstate Highway System. Population reached a peak of 12,186 in 1955.
The Route 2 bypass of Athol was constructed in the 1950s, further limiting direct access to the downtown business district. The following years showed population decline, falling to a low of 10,634 in 1980. However, Athol's population has risen gradually since that time.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (2.46%) is water. The town is drained mostly by the Millers River, which flows through the downtown area from northeast to west, towards the Connecticut River. The Tully River flows into the Millers within town, and many other streams cross the town. Parts of Tully Lake and Lake Rohunta lie within town, as does Lake Ellis and several other small ponds. The soil of Athol is rough and stony, and the terrain is wooded and hilly, with elevations ranging from above sea level at the edge of the Millers River to at the top of Pratt Hill near the Bearsden Forest. A large portion of the Millers River Wildlife Management Area lies within town, as does a small portion of Petersham State Forest.
Athol lies along the western edge of Worcester County, with Franklin County to the west. It is bordered by Royalston to the north, Phillipston to the east, Petersham to the south, New Salem to the southwest, and Orange to the west. From its town center, Athol lies east of Greenfield, west of Fitchburg, northwest of Worcester, and west-northwest of Boston. The vast majority of population is settled around the downtown area, with the rest of the town being relatively sparsely populated.
Economy
Since the Civil War, Athol's economy has been primarily industrial. During the early part of the 20th century, local water power and rail service attracted manufacturers such as Union Twist Drill and the L. S. Starrett Company to the area, leading to Athol's nickname "Tool Town". In the 1950s, when the Route 2 bypass, Interstate 495 and the Massachusetts Turnpike diverted traffic to other parts of Massachusetts, Athol and other towns in central Massachusetts began a long economic decline. By 1998, the commercial vacancy rate in Athol had risen to 18 percent.
Despite downsizing, the L. S. Starrett Company continues to be the largest employer in town, followed by the Athol Memorial Hospital. Most of the remaining jobs in Athol are in the retail and food service industries.
In the 1960s, Athol and Orange formed the Orange-Athol Industrial Development Commission to bring businesses to the area near the Orange Municipal Airport. The Millers River Community Development Corporation, North Quabbin Housing Partnership, and a banking alliance also grew out of collaborative efforts. These groups succeeded in financing housing for middle-income residents, natives, and others who were not accepted by traditional lending programs.
In the early 1980s, The state targeted the North Quabbin region (and principal towns Athol and Orange) for funding to promote economic development, as the area had the highest unemployment rate in the state. Small cities grants and other government funding provided a promising start of economic growth until a recession hit
In the 1990s, a Walmart opened in Orange close to the town line of Athol. At that time, several businesses on Athol's Main Street closed.
In the 2010s, Athol saw the development of a new shopping plaza. The plaza is anchored by a Market Basket and includes a movie theatre as well as several retail and dining establishments. There was also industrial development, with a portion of the former Union Twist Drill mill undergoing conversion for use by Massgrow as a marijuana-growing facility.
In the 2020s, The town has seen two dispensaries open, as well as several new restaurants. Main Street has also seen several new business open, leading to a lower storefront vacancy rate than in the past decade.
As of 2022, groups working on Athol's economy include the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, a quasi-public entity, and the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, located on Main Street in Athol.North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce website. Accessed April 24, 2022.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,299 people, 4,487 households, and 2,970 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 4,824 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.33% White, 0.65% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population. 17.7% were of French, 14.1% French Canadian, 13.3% English, 10.9% Irish, 10.4% Italian and 5.3% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 4,487 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,221, and the median income for a family was $49,440. Males had a median income of $34,414 versus $23,156 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,267. About 8.3% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government + County government: Worcester County Clerk of Courts: Dennis P. McManus (D) District Attorney: David E. Sullivan (D) Register of Deeds: Katie Toomey (D) Register of Probate: Stephanie Fattman (R) County Sheriff: Lew Evangelidis (R) State government State Representative(s): Susannah Whipps (I) State Senator(s): Jo Comerford (D) Governor's Councilor(s): Tara Jacobs (D) Federal government U.S. Representative(s): James P. McGovern (D-2nd District), U.S. Senators: Elizabeth Warren (D), Ed Markey (D)
Municipal Government Town Manager: Shaun Suhoski Selectboard: Andrew Sudjak, Rebecca Bialecki, Kala Fisher, Stephen Raymond, Brian Dodge
Municipal government is by open town meeting. Athol is divided into three precincts. The first Monday in April is the date for the annual town election. The annual town meeting is held in May, and a fall town meeting occurs in October. Additional town meetings are held as needed. Administration of the town's business is carried out by a five-member elected board of selectmen and a town manager following the Town Charter, which was passed in 2000. Other important town boards are the Finance and Warrant Advisory Committee, Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Capital Program Committee, Cable Advisory Board, Council on Aging, Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, Housing Authority, Open Space and Recreation Review Committee, Library Trustees, and Zoning Board of Appeals.
The Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee is jointly elected by the communities of Athol and Royalston. Ten members serve on this vital committee, seven from Athol and three from Royalston based upon the regional agreement.
The Athol Fire Department and Athol Police Department provide fire protection and law enforcement respectively. In addition, a Massachusetts State Police barracks is located in Athol near the high school. The Department of Public Works takes care of roadways, water works, sewage treatment, parks, and cemeteries.
The towns of Athol and Orange cooperate with each other as neighbors, in spite of the county line that divides them. Some service providers for Athol are based in Franklin County, even though Athol sits in Worcester County.
Communications Athol has a daily newspaper, The Athol Daily News. In addition, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the Greenfield Recorder, and The Gardner News cover Athol events and news. Newspapers from Boston, Springfield, and Fitchburg are also sold in local stores.
Time Warner Cable provides service to 6,646 subscribers in the Athol-Orange area. 4,044 live in Athol. The two-town area also benefits from the work of the Athol-Orange Community Television, Inc. (AOTV), which is a nonprofit Public-access television cablecasting corporation. AOTV trains people to produce their own local Public-access television programs, and it records and airs Government-access television (GATV) public meetings and events through the Time Warner system. AOTV also operates Athol licensed radio station WVAO-LP 105.9 FM.