Industries Represented

Franklin County and Athol Massachusetts are located in the most remote and least densely populated parts of Massachusetts. Yet the number of companies that were established here, the amount and diversity of products produced here is staggering. This region is one vast watershed with five major rivers terminating in Greenfield at the Connecticut River. This geographic feature that powered hundreds of small to large water powered mills is core to how and why industry developed here. The roots of virtually all American Manufacturing sectors where precision metalworking was involved are here. Much of our industrial base has been lost but the heritage survives. We continue to discover more companies that existed here and some very old important established companies still thrive here and new companies emerge to carry on the heritage. The museum has artifacts and or archival material for the companies listed here and we continually update their histories as that info becomes available. On these pages we attempt to show the scope of what we cover and some samples of materials we have on a particular company. If one wishes to learn more arrangements can be made to do further research.