Montague

The picturesque town of Montague is known as a photographer's dream and is famous for its planned mill village of Turners Falls. Its ideal location at the Great Falls on the Connecticut River for manufacturing brought in a large number of factories at the beginning of the late nineteenth century, which in turn drew in numerous people from around New England, as well as Germany, Quebec, Poland, Great Britain, and Ireland. All five villages of Montague became unique, close-knit communities full of hardworking people. The rare, historical photographs here reveal what life was like during the past 130 years. In Montague, the journey maps out the early years in Turners Falls, Millers Falls, Lake Pleasant, Montague City, and Montague Center. The history of the many mills along the canal, the many reconstructions of the canal, and the log drives are all presented here in striking images. Montague tells the stories of the generations of families and the individuals who made the town so unique, including the history of the John Russell Cutlery Factory and the Spiritualist community of Lake Pleasant.