Quabbin–Swift River Valley

{{Short description|Region of Massachusetts, United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} thumb|right|220px|Seven towns of the Quabbin Valley. Parts of Palmer, immediately to the south, also lie within the Swift River Valley.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} [[Image:Overlooking Quabbin Reservoir from Quabbin Hill Rd, Ware MA.jpg|thumb|right|220px|View from Quabbin Hill Road in Ware, overlooking where the former town of Enfield was submerged.]]

The '''Quabbin Valley''' is a region of Massachusetts in the United States. The region consists of the Quabbin Reservoir and accompanying river systems{{which|date=May 2013}} in Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester counties. The area is sometimes known as the '''Swift River Valley''' region, a reference to the Swift River, which was dammed to form the reservoir.

== Geography == At its most restrictive, the Quabbin–Swift River Valley includes the towns immediately bordering the reservoir and lower length of the river. These towns include Belchertown, Hardwick, New Salem, Pelham, Petersham, Shutesbury, Palmer, and Ware.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}

The name Quabbin has also been adopted by regional partnerships bordering the reservoir but not including the entire valley. For example, the Central Quabbin Area Tourism Association consists{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} of Petersham and Hardwick on the reservoir's eastern side, as well as Barre, Hubbardston, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, and Rutland, further east. The North Quabbin Community Coalition includes{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} Petersham and New Salem bordering the reservoir, and the adjoining towns of Athol, Orange, Erving, Phillipston, Royalston, Warwick and Wendell. The north Quabbin Chamber of Commerce includes 11 towns: Athol, Barre, Erving, Hardwick, New Salem, Orange, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Warwick and Wendell<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.northquabbinchamber.com/our-communities | title=Our Communities - North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, MA }}</ref>

== Former towns == Upon the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir, four towns in the valley were officially disincorporated, their area absorbed by surrounding municipalities. These towns are Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott.

Many people living in those towns fought unsuccessfully to prevent construction of the reservoir, arguing that it was unfair to move the Swift River Valley inhabitants to provide drinking water for Boston residents, and the movement has become a part of Western Massachusetts folklore.

==See also== *Swift River Reservation

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Wikivoyage|Quabbin}} * [http://www.foquabbin.org/valley.html Friends of Quabbin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051207041603/http://www.foquabbin.org/valley.html |date=2005-12-07 }} * [http://www.nqcc.org/ North Quabbin Community Coalition] * [http://quabbinvalley.wordpress.com/ Official Blog of The Quabbin Valley]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quabbin-Swift River Valley}} Category:Regions of Massachusetts Category:River valleys of the United States Category:Valleys of Massachusetts Category:Landforms of Franklin County, Massachusetts Category:Landforms of Hampden County, Massachusetts Category:Landforms of Hampshire County, Massachusetts Category:Landforms of Worcester County, Massachusetts