document
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.

label levels:

This map shows the north-central Massachusetts town of Royalston around 1870. Located in the northwest corner of Worcester County, Royalston's rugged, hilly terrain and rocky soil supported sheep-raising, dairy cattle, wood cutting, and family gardens. This was a typical "hill town" economy in Western Massachusetts at the time. As the lower map shows, by the late 19th century a small water-powered industrial center flourished along the Millers River in South Royalston. The best-known and most successful business was the American Woolen Company, which produced a fortune for the family of Alexander Bullock. Bullock served as the governor of Massachusetts in the 1890s.

top of page