Our Towns:
New Salem was first settled in 1737 and was officially incorporated in 1775, named for the settlers from Salem that founded the town. New Salem benefited greatly by the building of the Quabbin Reservoir - though mostly geographically. Prior to its building, New Salem, which has always been the southeast corner of Franklin County, did not extend much further south than the village of Cooleyville, now along U.S. Route 202. However, with the forming of the reservoir, the town received all lands above the water line between the two forks of the reservoir, as it was the only land connection to the peninsula.
Today most of the lands it gained are off-limits, protected as part of the Quabbin Reservation, which is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR). The Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory lies along what was once the Prescott-Greenwich town line, and researchers from the Five Colleges are allowed access to it. Additionally, members of the Swift River Historical Society take a yearly tour of the area in the peninsula by bus. No other access is permitted. Joshua Mason Macomber, MA, MD,. a famous early New England educator, was born in New Salem.
| Town Statistics | ||||||
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| Town Departments | Address | Telephone | ||||
| Administrative Assistant | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1106 ext. 107 | ||||
| Board of Health | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1107 | ||||
| Building Dept. Inspectors | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1105 | ||||
| Cemetery Office | South Main Street | 978-544-3681 | ||||
| Community Development | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1100 ext. 105 | ||||
| Assessors | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1100 ext. 108 | ||||
| Council on Aging | 135 East Main Street | 978-544-1113 | ||||
| Highway & Sewer Department | 978-544-1111 | |||||
| Housing Rehabilitation | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-0219 | ||||
| Landfill & Recycling Facility | 978-544-1118 | |||||
| Selectman | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1100 ext. 106 | ||||
| Tax Collector | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1100 ext. 104 | ||||
| Town Clerk | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1100 ext.101 | ||||
| Treasurer | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1100 ext. 103 | ||||
| Water & Sewer Billing Department | 6 Prospect Street | 978-544-1100 ext. 102 | ||||
| Waste Water Treatment Facility | Route 2 | 978-544-1114 | ||||
| Water Department | 16 West Myrtle Street | 978-544-1110 | ||||
| Fire Department | ||||||
| Headquarters | 18 Water Street | 978-544-3145 | ||||
| To Report A Fire | 9 1 1 | |||||
| Police Department | ||||||
| Emergency Only | 400 East River Street | 9 1 1 | ||||
| General Business | 400 East River Street | 978-544-2244 | ||||
| Alternate Emergency Number | 413-625-0032 | |||||
| Libraries | ||||||
| TTY Users | East Main Street | 978-544-1112 | ||||
| Wheeler Memorial Library | East Main Street | 978-544-2495 | ||||
| Moore-Leland Library | Athol Road | 978-575-0444 | ||||
| Airport | ||||||
| Orange Municipal Airport | Airport Road | 978-544-8189 | ||||
| School Department - Elementary | ||||||
| Butterfield Elementary School | South Main Street | 978-544-6136 | ||||
| Dexter Park School | Dexter Street | 978-544-6080 | ||||
| Fisher Hill Elementary School | 59 Dexter Street Ext | 978-544-0018 | ||||
| Kitchen | 59 Dexter Street Ext | 978-544-1127 | ||||
| Pre-School | 79 Dexter Street Ext | 978-544-1124 | ||||
| Special Needs Department | 59 Dexter Street Ext | 978-544-6980 | ||||
| Superintendent of Schools | 131 West Main Street | 978-544-3450 | ||||
| Ralph C. Mahar Regional Highschool | ||||||
| Principal & School Office | South Main Street | 978-544-2542 | ||||
| Special Needs | South Main Street | 978-544-2535 | ||||
| Superintendent’s Office | South Main Street | 978-544-2920 | ||||
| Fax Line | South Main Street | 978-544-8383 | ||||
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.
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