• Recreation Activities
• Sightseeing

Town of New Salem

New Salem, MA

An outstanding town center, wonderful cultural offerings, and the magnificent lands of the Quabbin Reservoir - truly a great combination.

Description:

New Salem had its roots in the seaport of Salem, Massachusetts, 60 residents of which received a land grant from the state legislature in 1734. The new town was not incorporated, however, until 1753. New Salem is large—59 square miles—but one quarter of that acreage is water and much of the rest is protected for the Quabbin Reservoir. The lands of  the Quabbin provide outstanding hiking opportunities at Gates 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, and 35, and the waters are open to boats at Gate 31. The Bear’s Den, with its 75-foot waterfall, is another popular destination, as is the Whitaker-Clary House, one of the state’s premier small museums and home of the Swift River Valley Historical Society.

New Salem Center is one of the most picturesque in the region and home to outstanding musical and cultural events during summer months at the historic 1794 Meetinghouse. No major roads run through New Salem Center; indeed, three of its roads dead-end at Gates 25, 26, and 27 in what is now protected Quabbin land. The major road that does run through town, Route 202, offers one spot with a spectacular view of the Quabbin.

Once famous for dairy farms and for the gathering of ferns and laurel for the florist trade, the town today is quieter, though Hamilton Orchards and a few smaller operations still reflect the agrarian past. The town’s fewer than 1,000 residents retain a strong sense of community and annually celebrate Old Home Days.

Directions:

From Rte. 2, take Exit 16 and go south on Rte. 202 to sign for New Salem Center, on left.

Click for a Map

Contact:

Town Hall
15 Main St.
New Salem, MA 01355

Web: www.northquabbinchamber.com/index_page0006.html

 

back to Area Guide