History of Adams

In 1766, the General Court of Massachusetts confirmed the sale of an area of land in the western part of the state to Nathan Jones, Elisha Jones, and John Murray. The original land purchase amounted to 23 square miles. A small community developed into what was first called Township Number One and later changed to East Hoosac. The land was incorporated into the Town of Adams in 1778, named in honor of patriot Samuel Adams.

Adams history is the familiar New England story of a farm village growing into an industrial small town. Former farmers and sons of farmers tapped the energy of the flowing Hoosic River to turn the belts and pulleys of textile and paper-making machinery. By the end of the 19th century, Adams had become an industrial community, dealing in paper, textiles, and lime products. These early industrialists laid a foundation on which each successive generation built an industrial community.

This community was peopled with immigrants of several countries. Eight ethnic groups came to work in Adams, each one weaving its thread of influence into the fabric that is Adams. The architecture that the industrialists and workers constructed is the environment that we see today — an industrial setting pleasantly surrounded by the lush landscape of the Hoosic River Valley and the Berkshire Hills.