View source for Quabbin–Swift River Valley

{{Short description|Region of Massachusetts, United States}}
[[Image:QuabbinTowns ma highlight.png|thumb|right|220px|Seven towns of the Quabbin Valley. Parts of Palmer, immediately to the south, also lie within the Swift River Valley.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}]]
[[Image:Overlooking Quabbin Reservoir from Quabbin Hill Rd, Ware MA.jpg|thumb|right|220px|View from Quabbin Hill Road in [[Ware, Massachusetts|Ware]], overlooking where the former town of [[Enfield, Massachusetts|Enfield]] was submerged.]]
The '''Quabbin Valley''' is a region of [[Massachusetts]] in the United States. The region consists of the [[Quabbin Reservoir]] and accompanying river systems{{which|date=May 2013}} in [[Franklin County, Massachusetts|Franklin]], [[Hampden County, Massachusetts|Hampden]], [[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire]], and [[Worcester County, Massachusetts|Worcester]] counties.  The area is sometimes known as the '''Swift River Valley''' region, a reference to the Swift River, which was dammed to form the reservoir.
== Geography ==
At its most restrictive, the Quabbin–Swift River Valley includes the towns immediately bordering the reservoir and lower length of the river. These towns include [[Belchertown, Massachusetts|Belchertown]], [[Hardwick, Massachusetts|Hardwick]], [[New Salem, Massachusetts|New Salem]], [[Pelham, Massachusetts|Pelham]], [[Petersham, Massachusetts|Petersham]], [[Shutesbury, Massachusetts|Shutesbury]], [[Palmer, Massachusetts|Palmer]], and [[Ware, Massachusetts|Ware]].{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}
The name Quabbin has also been adopted by regional partnerships bordering the reservoir but not including the entire valley. For example, the Central Quabbin Area Tourism Association consists{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} of Petersham and Hardwick on the reservoir's eastern side, as well as [[Barre, Massachusetts|Barre]], [[Hubbardston, Massachusetts|Hubbardston]], [[New Braintree, Massachusetts|New Braintree]], [[North Brookfield, Massachusetts|North Brookfield]], [[Oakham, Massachusetts|Oakham]], and [[Rutland, Massachusetts|Rutland]], further east. The North Quabbin Community Coalition includes{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} Petersham and New Salem bordering the reservoir, and the adjoining towns of [[Athol, Massachusetts|Athol]], [[Orange, Massachusetts|Orange]], [[Erving, Massachusetts|Erving]], [[Phillipston, Massachusetts|Phillipston]], [[Royalston, Massachusetts|Royalston]], [[Warwick, Massachusetts|Warwick]] and [[Wendell, Massachusetts|Wendell]]. The north Qubbin Chamber of Commerce includes 11 towns: [[Athol, Massachusetts|Athol]], [[Barre, Massachusetts|Barre]], [[Erving, Massachusetts|Erving]], [[Hardwick, Massachusetts|Hardwick]], [[New Salem, Massachusetts|New Salem]], [[Orange, Massachusetts|Orange]], [[Petersham, Massachusetts|Petersham]], [[Phillipston, Massachusetts|Phillipston]], [[Royalston, Massachusetts|Royalston]], [[Warwick, Massachusetts|Warwick]] and [[Wendell, Massachusetts|Wendell]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.northquabbinchamber.com/our-communities | title=Our Communities - North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, MA }}</ref>
== Former towns ==
Upon the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir, four towns in the valley were officially [[wikt:disincorporate|disincorporated]], their area absorbed by surrounding municipalities. These towns are [[Dana, Massachusetts|Dana]], [[Enfield, Massachusetts|Enfield]], [[Greenwich, Massachusetts|Greenwich]], and [[Prescott, Massachusetts|Prescott]].
Many people living in those towns [[Quabbin Reservoir#Opposition|fought unsuccessfully]] to prevent construction of the reservoir, arguing that it was unfair to move the Swift River Valley inhabitants to provide drinking water for Boston residents, and the movement has become a part of [[Western Massachusetts]] folklore.
==See also==
*[[Swift River Reservation]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Quabbin}}
* [http://www.foquabbin.org/valley.html Friends of Quabbin]
* [http://www.nqcc.org/ North Quabbin Community Coalition]
* [http://quabbinvalley.wordpress.com/ Official Blog of The Quabbin Valley]
{{Massachusetts}}
{{Coord|42.34|N|72.32|W|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quabbin-Swift River Valley}}
[[Category:Regions of Massachusetts]]
[[Category:River valleys of the United States]]
[[Category:Valleys of Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Landforms of Franklin County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Landforms of Hampden County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Landforms of Hampshire County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Landforms of Worcester County, Massachusetts]]
{{Massachusetts-geo-stub}}