The history of Erving dates from 1750 when John Erving of Boston received a grant of a tract of land. Erving was one of the most successful merchants in America, but certainly was not a frontiersman. The first settler of the town was Asaph White of Heath, who built a log house on the north side of the Millers River and established a toll gate in 1802. The town incorporated on April 17, 1838 and became the last of the 26 towns in Franklin County to do so.

The Chamber gratefully acknowledges Royalston-resident and author Allen Young, who has allowed the Chamber to use copyrighted material throughout this website from his remarkable regional guidebook North of Quabbin, published in 1983. Pick up his 2003 update, North of Quabbin Revisited, which includes new maps and photos, for a fascinating, in-depth guide to this nine-town region.