History of Gardner, Massachusetts/Situation and Extent
Situation and Extent.
Gardner is situated fifty-eight miles north-west from Boston, and twenty-five miles north from Worcester. It is 42½° north latitude, and contains about nineteen square miles, or 14,000 acres.
Its surface is uneven; there are no mountains in the place, though the traveler, in passing through the town, would think it pretty well dotted with hills.
There is a very pleasant one east of the common, familiarly known by the name of Esq'r Glazier's hill, now owned by Capt. Joel Cowee. About one-half mile west of the common, is another, owned by Dea. S. W. Bancroft. Southwest of the common is one owned by William Lynde. In a south-east direction is one belonging to Dr. Parker, formerly known by the name of Capt. Bickford's hill.
The original growth of timber in this town, was beech, birch, maple, hemlock and ash, with some elm and bass-wood. In the west part of the town was a large growth of white pine. A walnut tree may be found on the land of Capt. John Edgell, nearly opposite his residence; its origin was a walnut from West Boylston, planted by Mrs. John Glazier, in the year 1800. Another of the same description is located in the garden of Jonathan Brown; the walnut was planted by a brother of his, when a lad.
The soil is better adapted to grass than grain.
A little north-west and near the centre of the town, is a beautiful pond, about a mile in length and nearly one-half a mile wide; it is so well known by the inhabitants of the town that it needs no description; suffice it to say, that it is a pleasant resort for the pleasure-seeker and lover of nature, as many can testify who have enjoyed a sail across its smooth waters.[1] There is also a small pond in the south-westerly part of the town.
Gardner is pretty well watered, although there are not many large streams in it. Otter river runs four or five miles on the south-west side of the town.
There is a brook having its rise in Winchendon, called the Bailey brook, running through the westerly part of the town and uniting with Otter river near the Goodnow mills, so called.
Another, by the name of Kneeland brook, rises in the northerly part of the town and runs in a southerly direction nearly parallel with the Bailey brook, terminating in Otter river, just below Parker & Bancroft's saw-mill. On this stream there is a large tract of meadow-land which is supposed to have been cleared by beavers, as there was no wood or timber thereon at the time of the first settlement.
There is another, rising in the north part of the town, between the other two, called the Wilder brook; after running in a southerly direction it unites with the Kneeland brook at the upper end of heaver meadow.
About one-half a mile north-east of Gardner center, may be found the head of a stream running in a north-easterly direction, through South Ashburnham, a corner of Westminster, and onward, losing itself in the Nashua river.
There are two streams rising in the east part of the town; after making very circuitous courses, they unite a little above the mills of E. C. J. and O. A. Travers. After their junction they continue in a south-westerly course to Otter river, near the pail factory of Amasa Bancroft.
There is another stream of some size, which has its rise in the town of Hubbardston, running in a northerly direction and uniting with one of the last mentioned streams, near the house of Joseph Maynard. On this stream is a large reservoir for the benefit of the mills below.
The last stream which I shall mention, is called the Pond brook: it is the outlet of Crystal lake, and runs in a southerly direction into Otter river; on this stream, as also on most of the others, are more or less mills, of which I shall speak more particularly hereafter. It will be seen by the preceding, that the people of Gardner have geographically taken a high stand; as the water flows from its surface in opposite directions to the Connecticut and Merrimac rivers.
- ↑ Since writing the above, at a meeting for the purpose, the Town voted to give the name of Crystal Lake to this pond; a very appropriate name for so clear a body of water.