In 1897, the Nashua River above the town of Clinton, Mass was impounded by the Wachusett Dam; 4,380 acres were flooded in the towns of Boylston, West Boylston, Clinton, and Sterling. Work was completed in 1905 and the reservoir first filled in May 1908. At the time of construction, the Wachusett Reservoir was the largest public water supply reservoir in the world and today it is the second largest body of water in Massachusetts. Hear the history of this massive project and how Wachusett Reservoir fits into supplying 3.1 million people with pure unfiltered drinking water.

On Friday, September 8, at noon, we will hear Kathryn Parent, Program Coordinator, DCR Division of Water Supply Protection, describe the history of the Wachusett Reservoir.

This program will be live in the Woodbury Room at the Jones Library in Amherst.

Please note that we have discovered a conflict with the date of our next History Bite, Occupying Massachusetts. The presentation by Sandra Matthews and David Brume will be postponed until the week of May 11.