[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 109 (Thursday, July 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO THE TOWN OF ATHOL ON THE OCCASION OF THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY 
                            OF ITS FOUNDING

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN W. OLVER

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 19, 2012

  Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th 
anniversary of the town of Athol, Massachusetts. On March 4, 1762 the 
colonial Governor of Massachusetts, Sir Francis Bernard, officially 
incorporated the Town of Athol, Massachusetts into the commonwealth. 
The town was named in honor of the Scottish heritage of an influential 
settler, John Murray, who had ancestral ties to Blair Atholl in 
Scotland.
  As with many colonial towns and villages in western Massachusetts, 
agriculture was an important and prosperous industry. In Athol, that 
industry grew to include milling lumber, grains, and other agricultural 
products. The advent of the locomotive and the expansion of railroads 
to Athol contributed greatly to the economic growth of the town and to 
increasing trade with Springfield and Vermont.
  As the market for goods produced in Athol expanded, new industries, 
such as cotton processing, tanning, production of textiles, and metal 
working, flourished. Athol earned the nickname of ``Tool Town'' because 
of the Athol Machine Company and the L. S. Starrett Company, which 
produced machinists' hand tools and precision tools and were both 
established in the 19th century. Athol's booming economy turned the 
town into a destination for travelers from all across Massachusetts and 
New England. Trolley lines from Athol to Orange shuttled visitors to 
and from their destinations.
  Today, Athol is again on the rise; its population is increasing and 
the spirit of resilience and determination present in the days of the 
lumber mills and metal works factories remains strong. On the occasion 
of the 250th anniversary of the town of Athol, Massachusetts, I 
congratulate its citizens and praise their dedication and perseverance 
throughout the town's history. It has been an honor to represent this 
great community, and I wish the people of Athol a healthy and 
prosperous future.

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