Shutesbury, incorporated in 1761 and named in honor of Governor Samuel
Shutes, was originally known as "Roadtown." This name may have come
from the village's early beginnings.
About the year 1733, 95 people, most of whom resided in Lancaster,
constructed a public highway from their town to Sunderland. Saying their
private enterprise was done at considerable cost and resulted in great
public benefit by shortening the distance from certain towns in the valley to
Boston, they petitioned the General Court to appropriate lands to
recompense them for their outlay. The House of Representatives approved
the petition under the conditions that the grant should embrace land near
the highway laid out by the petitioners and that four years after the
return and acceptance of the plot, 60 families should be settled and each
family should build a house 18 feet square and 7 feet stud and clear and
break four acres of land for tillage and four acres for English grass.
The settlers were also to lay out a lot for the first settled
minister, one for a ministry and one for a school, to build a meetinghouse, to
settle a learned and orthodox minister of the gospel, and to fit the road
upon which the grant was based for a cart-way.
On May 30, 1735, the proprietors held their first meeting in Lancaster
at the house of William Richardson. Captain Oliver Wilder was moderator
and Jonathan Houghton was clerk.
Shutesbury, unlike other valley villages, never suffered from Indian
assault at any time.
An early industry was lumbering, which still operates in several
locations. Mineral springs were plentiful and a bottling business grew up
around them along with many cottage industries. Additionally, there was once a
hat factory and a few inns for travelers. |
