Erving

2006 Population.......................1,508
2006 Registered voters..................960
2000 Per capita income..............$17,794
2005 Average tax bill................$1,061
1999 Median family income...........$47,212
2000 Budget......................$3,287,754

Town Hall.....................(413)422-2800
Town Clerk...................Richard Newton
Treasurer.................Margaret Sullivan
Police Chief............Christopher M Blair
Fire Chief................Mitchell LaClaire
School Supt..............Linda Driscoll,EdD
413-659-3337 Selectboard...........(chair)Andrew Tessier
Linda Downs-Bembury
F. Hubert Dubay, Jr.

Engine House Museum, is located in the old fire station on Route 2 in the center of Erving. The exhibits reflect the development of Erving as a major industrial town, including a large collection of photographs and scrapbooks in four rooms. There is an 1890-1900 kitchen, living room, and parlor that reflects the lifestyle of the periond. For further information and when the museum is open call 413-422-2282.

Erving State Forest, features Laurel Lake, which is open for swimming, fishing, and boating. Laurel Lake also has more than 30 campsites for tents or trailers, plus picnic tables. The 4,479-acre state forest offers hunting and several miles of roads and trails for hiking, horseback, riding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. The administration building is on Route 2A near Wendell Depot. Laurel Lake can be reached from Route 2A on Wendell Depot Road or from the center of Erving on North Street. Call 978-544-3939 for further information.

French King Bridge, along Route 2, is 750 feet long and 140 feet above the Connecticut River, connecting Erving with Gill. It offers a spectacular view of the river valley to the north and south and is a popular tourist stop during foliage season. The famous French King Rock, where French explorers claimed the territiory for their king in the 17th century, is usually visible north of the bridge. The iron bridge was constructed in 1932 and recently renovated.

Erving Castle, on Hermit Mountain, ws the cave/homesite of a well-liked hermit, John Smith, an actor from Scotland. For nearly 30 years he resided with his many cats in a primitive, hand-built wooden shack near the cave. A short distance off Route 2, a sign at the base of the mountains directs the public to the site.

Erving was the last of Franklin County's 26 towns to be incorporated, having been officially established in 1838. It is named after John Erving of Boston, who was one of the most successful merchants in America.

John Erving's purchase of 11,016 acres of Province, Massachusetts Bay Land in 1751, makes up much of the current town. He also purchased other land that became patrs of the towns of Wendell, New Salem and Orange.

The town also consists of Clesson Grant, also know as Field Farm, Quincy Grant and Hacks Grant. The Clesson Grant was made to a garrison soldier form Deerfield named Joseph Clesson and was on of the first areas of town to be inhabited. The Quincy Grant was made to Col. John Quincy, whose granddaughter was the president of John Quincy Adams, who owned a piece of the property until 1825. The Hacks Grant was a source of controversy. It was annexed by Northfield in 1772, then taken back by Erving in 1860, which caused a long and acrimonious battle. The opposition was led by Samuel Holton, whose family owned the property and preferred to remain residents of Northfield, where they had been among the first settlers.

Erving consists of three villages: Erving Center, Farley and Millers Falls, which is also called Ervingside. The portion of Millers Falls lying south of the Millers River is part of Montague. The Ervingside section is best known as a longtime site of the former Millers Falls Company, which produced tools.

Farley was created when D.E. and J.B. Farley and George Monroe came to the area in 1881, bought land on both sides of the Millers River, and built a dam and a pulp factory, which also produce mittens. The industrialists were responsible for building the houses on Maple Street for workers.

Erving's abundance of timber and water power resulted in the production of many wood and wood-based products. The town is still the site of major paper mills. The Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Station, meanwhile, was built in mid-1960's.