Sixth graders from Ms. Gow's class spent time researching Leverett's history. They interviewed some of the town's old-timers, examined old photographs, visited historical buildings, and even spent time at the old cemetary.
Any donations of photos or information for this site are gratefully accepted. Please contact Karin Gravina at the school, or email gravina@leverett.k14.mass.edu
|
Leverett used to be part of Sunderland, and was known as Swampfield.People had to travel over Mt. Toby regularly whenever they needed to go to church or any other destination. |
|
|
Leverett became a town two years before the United States became a country...1774! |
|
|
|
There were many interesting road names in Leverett. Roads were named for stories, people, purpose, or where the roads led to.
One day a bull strayed from its herd. While walking
down the hill, it lost its footing and landed on the rocks
below. The bull, though injured, did not die immediately. It
spent eight hours bellowing loudly before it died. The road
was known as Bull Hill Road from that day on.
Juggler Meadow Road got its name from Juggle Meadow.
The meadow had a lot of water in it. The ground was unstable
and could move if a person jumped on it. It would shake or
"juggle."
In the 1850's, it was fun sport to catch the
rattlesnakes that lived in the cliffs of what is now
Rattlesnake Gutter Road, locally called "the gutter." Young
men would cut off the rattles and make chains out of them to
put on their belts. There are old editions of the Greenfield
Post that tell tales of larger rattlesnakes meeting their
fates thourhg this sport. Men would have long wooden poles
with two prongs on the ends. The prongs held the snake in
place while the man picked it up behing the head. There are
no more rattlesnakes on Rattlsnake Gutter Road. If there
were, they would most likely be endangered. Still,
Rattlesnake Gutter Road keeps its name.
|
|
There was definitely more than tea on Teawaddle Hill Road! It was named by the Ladies Aid Society in the 1800's. Husbands claimed they were siimply going to their friends' houses for tea, but they really went to a tavern. Later, they would waddle back up the road. |
|
Supposedly, Rat Hollow Raod got its name from a woman who was a hermit. Some said she befriended rats and preferred her pet rats to people. |
|
Dudleyville Road got its name from a family who lived on the road. Six or seven families once lived there. Now there are only three families still living on the road. |
|
Skerry Road wasn't dark and scary. It was named after a Leverett School custodian and his wife, Buster and Evelyn Skerry. Their children still live in their house. |
|
Hemenway Road is one of the roads in North Leverett. This dirt road got its name from a man who owned a farm there. His daughter, Ruby Hemenway, lived to be one hundred years old. She also wrote a regular column for the local newspaper. |
|
North Leverett, Amherst, Cushman, and Shutesbury Roads were all named for where they go. Amherst Road goes from Leverett to Amherst. As soon as it crosses the town line it becomes Leverett Road (which comes into Leverett). |
There are many apple trees on Cider Mill Road. The
mill was on Leverett Pond, also known as Echo Lake. The mill
is not standing today.
There was a depot on the side of what is now Depot
Road. A depot is a train station. There was a tavern on that
road. There was a stagecoach behind the tavern.
Coke Kiln Road is named because of the charcoal or
coke kilns on the side of the road. They looked like
beehives. One is still standing. It looks like it is going
to fall down.
On Still Corner Road in the 1920's, three houses were
producing alcohol using stills. Now the road is named after
that illegal hobby.
Two Mile Road was named for the two mile addition to
the town land, when Leverett was still a part of
Sunderland.
Leverett was named after a man who was the Governor of
Massachusetts, John Leverett.