Erving

Erving has the distinction of being the last Franklin County town to be incorporated, which occurred in 1838. Physical boundaries are the Millers and Connecticut Rivers and the Towns of Northfield, Warwick and Orange. We are bisected by two major routes - Route 2, which is located on our southern boundary and Route 63, which is located on our western boundary. The town is 14.39 square miles in area with a population of approximately 1,800.

Attractions

Erving State Forest, features Laurel Lake, which is open for swimming, fishing, and boating. The administration building is on Route 2A near Wendell Depot. Laurel Lake can be reached from Route 2A on Wendell Depot Road or from the center of Erving on North Street. Call 978-544-3939 for further information.

French King Bridge, along Route 2, is 750 feet long and 140 feet above the Connecticut River, connecting Erving with Gill. It offers a spectacular view of the river valley to the north and south and is a popular tourist stop during foliage season. The famous French King Rock, where French explorers claimed the territiory for their king in the 17th century, is usually visible north of the bridge. The iron bridge was constructed in 1932.

Erving Castle, on Hermit Mountain, was the cave/homesite of a well-liked hermit, John Smith, an actor from Scotland. For nearly 30 years he resided with his many cats in a primitive, hand-built wooden shack near the cave. A short distance off Route 2.

History

Erving was the last of Franklin County's 26 towns to be incorporated, having been officially established in 1838. It is named after John Erving of Boston, who was one of the most successful merchants in America.

John Erving's purchase of 11,016 acres of Province, Massachusetts Bay Land in 1751, makes up much of the current town. He also purchased other land that became parts of the towns of Wendell, New Salem and Orange.

The town also consists of Clesson Grant, also know as Field Farm, Quincy Grant and Hacks Grant. The Clesson Grant was made to a garrison soldier form Deerfield named Joseph Clesson and was on of the first areas of town to be inhabited. The Quincy Grant was made to Col. John Quincy, whose granddaughter was the president of John Quincy Adams, who owned a piece of the property until 1825. The Hacks Grant was a source of controversy. It was annexed by Northfield in 1772, then taken back by Erving in 1860, which caused a long and acrimonious battle. The opposition was led by Samuel Holton, whose family owned the property and preferred to remain residents of Northfield, where they had been among the first settlers.

Erving consists of three villages: Erving Center, Farley and Millers Falls, which is also called Ervingside. The portion of Millers Falls lying south of the Millers River is part of Montague. The Ervingside section is best known as a longtime site of the former Millers Falls Company, which produced tools.

Farley was created when D.E. and J.B. Farley and George Monroe came to the area in 1881, bought land on both sides of the Millers River, and built a dam and a pulp factory, which also produce mittens. The industrialists were responsible for building the houses on Maple Street for workers.

Erving's abundance of timber and water power resulted in the production of many wood and wood-based products. The town is still the site of Erving Paper Mill. The Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Station, which straddles the town line into Northfield, was built in mid-1960s.

For more information, visit the Erving Town Website