Industrialization By beckyb17 Mar 14, 1669 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 14, 1710 First of 5 iron forger erected in Forge Village (the 4th or 5th earliest in New England) Mar 14, 1729 Incorporation of Westford Mar 14, 1797 Construction of Middlesex and Pawtucket Canals finished Mar 14, 1826 Opening of the Nashua and Lowell Rail Road Mar 14, 1826 Incorporation of Lowell Mar 14, 1835 Opening of the Boston and Lowell Rail Road Mar 18, 1840 Abbott and Company comes into existence and begins the manufacture of carpet yarns in Graniteville Mar 14, 1848 Opening of the Stony Brook Rail Road Mar 18, 1848 Final Local and Regional Passenger Trains on the Stony Brook Rail Road Mar 18, 1862 Moore Brothers buy the main mill in Brookside and convert it to the manufacture of yearn Mar 18, 1864 Thomas Hittinger buys the picnic area of Forge Pond and expands his ice bussiness to Westford Mar 14, 1865 Forge Village Nail Company formed- buys land and water rights of the iron forges (thus ending the iron industry in Westford) Mar 14, 1872 Opening of the Framingham and Lowell Rail Road Mar 14, 1872 Isaac Carkin opens the Oak Hill Quarry- the first quarry in Westford Mar 14, 1872 Fulling Mill built at Brookside- stays in business for 140 years Mar 14, 1873 Opening of the Nashua, Acton, and Boston Rail Road Mar 14, 1873 Official opening of the Stony Brook Rail Road (leased and used by the Nashua and Lowell Rail Road) Mar 18, 1878 Charles G. Sargent and Francis A Calvert buy Thomas Richardson's saw/ grist mill in Graniteville and open the C.G. Sargent and Sons Company Mar 14, 1879 Forge Village Nail Company is bought out by the Abbot Worsted Company Mar 14, 1880 Opening of the HE Fletcher Company Quarry Mar 18, 1887 Boston and Maine Rail Road takes over the lease of the Stony Brook Rail Road Mar 14, 1895 Opening of the HE Fletcher Rail Road Mar 14, 1925 Closing of the Nashua, Acton, and Boston Rail Road Mar 14, 1925 Closing of the Framingham and Lowell Rail Road Mar 14, 1957 Abbot Worsted Mill land and buildings bought by the Murray Printing Company
