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Industrial History of the Neponset Valley
February 12, 2009
Anthony M. Sammarco writer, historian

Anthony M. Sammarco explores the many facets of a mill village and its impact on the local economy.

The Neponset River, named for the Native American tribe of the Massachusetts Indians, was tamed as early as 1634 when Puritans who had settled Dorchester in 1630 erected the first grist mill in New England. The water power afforded by damming the river was to spur on industrial development that led to a variety of concerns that included the grist mill (1634,) a gun powder mill (1674,) a paper mill (1728) and a chocolate mill (1765).

Anthony M. Sammarco has been called "Boston's premier amateur historian" by the Boston Globe, but his interest in the history and development of his native city as led to the publication of more than 25 photographic histories that include The Great Boston Fire of 1872, Boston: A Century of Progress, and Boston's Harbor Islands. He has lectured frequently on local Boston history, writes newspaper columns for numerous newspapers, and is a prolific author. His efforts to make history more accessible to the general public have earned him several awards and honors.

History
industrial | local history | Massachusetts | mill | Industry
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