Industrilization

1st mill in Westford - saw and grist mill - is erected Near Nab Pond on Saw Mill Brook

Mar 18, 1680

Jonas Prescott given a land grant on Forge Pond and builds a corn/grist mill

Mar 18, 1680

First of 5 iron forges erected in Forge Village{the 4th or 5th earliest in new England}

Mar 18, 1710

Fullling mill built at Brookside - stays in business for 140 years

Mar 18, 1724

Incorporation of Westford

Mar 18, 1729

Construction of Middlesex and Pawtucket Canas finished

Mar 18, 1796

Isaac Carkin opens the Oak Hill Quarry - the first quarry in Westford

Mar 18, 1823

Charles Hollis hews granite from boulders in town and hauls them to Boston - unofficial beginning of the granite industry in Westford

Mar 18, 1823

Benjimen Palmer comes from Maine-buys 80 acres of land-opensa quarry {stays in buisness for almost 100 years}

Mar 18, 1823

Incorporation of Lowell

Mar 18, 1826

Opening of the Boston and Lowell Rail Road

Mar 18, 1835

Forge Village Nail Company is bought out by the Abbot Worsted Comapny

Mar 18, 1840

Opening of the Nashua and Lowell Rail Road

Mar 18, 1847

Opening of the Stony Brook Rail Road

Mar 18, 1848

Official opening of the Stony Brook Rail Road (leased and used by the Nashua & Loweel Rail Road)

Mar 18, 1848

Opening of the H.E. Fletcher Company Quarry

Apr 18, 1848

Charles G. Sargent and Frnacis A. Calvert buy Thomas Richardson's saw/grist mill in Graniteville and open the C.G. Sargents and Sons Company

Mar 18, 1854

Moore Brothers buy the main mill in Brookside and convert it to the manufacture of yarn

Mar 18, 1862

Thomas Hittinger buys the picnic area of Forge Pond and expands his ice buisnesss ot Westford

Mar 18, 1864

Forge Village Nail Company formed-buys land and water rights of the iron forges{thus ending iron industry in Westford}

Mar 18, 1865

Opening of the Framingham and Lowell Rail Road

Mar 18, 1872

Opening of the Nashua, Acton, and Boston Rail Road

Mar 18, 1873

Abbot and Company comes into existence and begins the manufacture of carpet yarns in Graniteville

Mar 18, 1879

Boston and Maine Rail Road takes over lease of the Stony Brook Railroad

Mar 18, 1887

Opening of the H.E. Fletcher Rail Road

Mar 18, 1895

Closing of the Nashua, Acton, and Boston Rail Road

Mar 18, 1925

Final local and regional passenger trains on the Stony Brook Rail Road

Mar 18, 1953

Abbot Worsted Mill landand buildings bought by the Murray Printing Company

Mar 18, 1957

Closing of the Framingham and Lowell Rail Road

Mar 18, 1974