The ghost town of Dana (Submerged to form Quabbin Reservoir), Massachusetts tells a compelling story of boom and bust in America’s development. Once a thriving community with hopes for a prosperous future, it now exists primarily in historical records and the memories of those who study Massachusetts’s past.
County: Worcester
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 42°25′19″N 72°13′39″W / 42.42194°N 72.22750°W / 42.42194
Elevation: Not available
Time Zone: Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
Established: February 18, 1801
Disestablished: April 28, 1938
Comments: Historical surveys confirm that dana was a town located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Dana was lost as a result of the formation of the Quabbin Reservoir.
Remains: The ghost town’s physical remnants as with the nearby town of Prescott, after the disincorporation, houses were moved or razed, but cellar holes remained. The public is only allowed to visit the former town of Dana by foot, as the old narrow road is blocked off to cars. In the town center (which is still somewhat maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation), a stone marker has been installed, which reads: “SITE OF DANA COMMON 1801-1938 To all those who sacrificed their homes and way of life (Erected by Dana Reunion, 1996)”. The common and a 68-acre (28 ha) area encompassing the former town center has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Current Status: The ghost town is presently formed from parts of Petersham, Greenwich, and Hardwick, it was incorporated in 1801. The town was named for Massachusetts statesman Francis Dana. The town was disincorporated on April 28, 1938, as part of the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir. Upon disincorporation, all of the town was returned to the adjacent town of Petersham. The majority of the land of the former town is still above water.
Remarks: Archaeological studies of Dana (Submerged to form Quabbin Reservoir) have yielded valuable artifacts that help tell the story of early life in Massachusetts. These findings contribute to our understanding of settlement patterns and daily life during this formative period.
Dana, Massachusetts stands as one of the most poignant examples of a community sacrificed for the greater good. Unlike many ghost towns that gradually declined due to economic factors or natural disasters, Dana’s fate was deliberately sealed by government decree, making its story particularly compelling in the annals of Massachusetts history.
Early Settlement and Development
The land that would become Dana was originally settled in 1676 as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Named after distinguished Massachusetts statesman Francis Dana (1743-1811), who served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the town was officially incorporated on February 18, 1801. Dana was formed from parts of Petersham, Greenwich, and Hardwick, creating a new community in Worcester County.
By the mid-19th century, Dana had developed into a modest but thriving rural community. The town was primarily agricultural, with farming being the main occupation of its residents. However, like many New England communities of the era, Dana also developed small-scale industries, including textile mills and factories along its waterways. These industries provided additional employment opportunities and contributed to the town’s economic stability.
Dana was divided into several distinct sections, with Dana Center serving as the town’s primary hub. North Dana emerged as the business district, contributing significantly to the farming industry and palm leaf hat manufacturing, a common cottage industry in 19th century rural Massachusetts. Other sections included Dana Common, which featured the town’s civic buildings and community spaces.
By 1850, Dana had a population of approximately 1,100 residents, making it one of the larger communities in the Swift River Valley region. The town boasted several schools, churches, a town hall, the Eagle Hotel, and various shops and businesses that served the local population. The Dana Congregational Church was an integral part of the community’s social and spiritual life, standing prominently on Dana Common.
The Quabbin Reservoir Project and Disincorporation
The fate of Dana and its neighboring towns began to change in the early 20th century as Boston’s rapidly growing population created an increasing demand for water. As early as 1919, Massachusetts officials began considering the creation of a new reservoir to meet this demand. By 1922, the State Legislature formally proposed the measure to create what would become the Quabbin Reservoir.
The Swift River Valley, where Dana was located, was identified as an ideal location for this massive water project. The valley was surrounded by low hills, fed by the Swift River, and relatively undeveloped in terms of major industry or transportation infrastructure. From the perspective of state planners, it was the perfect location to create a reservoir that could supply eastern Massachusetts with clean drinking water.
In 1927, the Massachusetts Legislature passed the Swift River Act, legally impounding the Swift River and declaring its intention to take the towns of Dana, Prescott, Enfield, and Greenwich by eminent domain. This legislative action sealed Dana’s fate, giving residents no choice but to accept what was framed as the price of progress.
The approximately 2,500 inhabitants of these four towns were forced to uproot their lives. Land owners were compensated at approximately $108 per lost acre, a sum that many felt was inadequate for the loss of their homes, businesses, and community ties. On April 28, 1938, Dana was officially disincorporated, along with the other three towns in the Swift River Valley.
The Final Days and Displacement
The disincorporation process was traumatic for Dana’s residents. Families who had lived in the town for generations were forced to relocate, often to nearby communities like Petersham, New Salem, and Belchertown. The physical dismantling of the town was equally painful to witness. Houses were either moved to new locations, sold for salvage, or razed. Public buildings were dismantled, and even the town’s cemeteries had to be relocated.
In a particularly poignant chapter of Dana’s history, 7,613 bodies from local cemeteries throughout the Swift River Valley had to be exhumed and reinterred at Quabbin Park Cemetery in Ware. This massive undertaking added another layer of emotional distress for former residents, who had to witness the disruption of their ancestors’ final resting places.
The night before Dana and the other towns were officially disincorporated, a farewell ball was held in the neighboring town of Enfield. Those who couldn’t get tickets danced to the music on the Town Hall’s lawn, as no one wanted to miss this final community gathering. When the clock struck midnight on April 28, 1938, the towns legally ceased to exist.
The actual flooding of the valley to create the Quabbin Reservoir began several months after disincorporation and was completed by 1946. The process was temporarily delayed by the Hurricane of 1938, which struck New England in September of that year, causing some of the last residents to delay their departure.
Current Status and Remains
Unlike some of the other towns that were completely submerged beneath the Quabbin Reservoir, Dana was situated at a higher elevation, which meant that portions of the town remained above water after the valley was flooded. Today, the Dana Common area is one of the most accessible remnants of the lost towns, preserved as a historical site within the Quabbin Reservation.
Visitors can reach Dana Common by parking at Gate 40 off Route 32A in Petersham and taking the 1.7-mile walk down Old Dana Road. The site features the foundations of former buildings, including the town hall, school, church, and various homes and businesses. The Dana Center School foundation reveals where a two-floor schoolhouse once stood, with one teacher for grades 1-4 on one floor and another for grades 5-8 on the second floor.
Other visible remains include the foundation of the Eagle House Hotel, once a grand 15-room inn; the site of the Dana Congregational Church, marked by stones and the path that once led to its front door; and the foundation of the blacksmith’s shop owned by Moses Marcille. The field where the cemetery once was is also visible, with stones remaining from the fence that once distinguished it from the rest of the common.
In 1996, a stone marker was installed at Dana Common during a reunion of former residents and their descendants. The marker reads: “SITE OF DANA COMMON 1801-1938 To all those who sacrificed their homes and way of life (Erected by Dana Reunion, 1996).” The Dana Town Common and a 68-acre area encompassing the former town center has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, ensuring its preservation for future generations.
Legacy and Commemoration
The legacy of Dana and the other lost towns continues through the efforts of descendants and historical organizations. Regular reunions have been held over the years, bringing together former residents and their families to share memories and maintain connections to their lost hometown. These gatherings have played a crucial role in preserving the oral history and personal stories of Dana’s community.
The Quabbin Reservoir itself, while representing the reason for Dana’s demise, has become an important natural and historical resource. Today, it is the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts, covering 39 square miles and holding 412 billion gallons of water. It supplies approximately 40% of Massachusetts residents, including those in Boston, with clean drinking water.
For descendants of Dana’s residents, feelings about the reservoir are often mixed. While many acknowledge the necessity of the project for the greater good, there remains a lingering sense of loss and resentment. As one descendant expressed in a 2022 NBC Boston documentary, “It feels like I lost my heritage.” The inability to show children and grandchildren the physical places where their families lived and grew up represents an intangible but significant loss.
Despite this sense of loss, the story of Dana has been preserved through various educational efforts, including books, documentaries, and the Quabbin Visitor Center. These resources help ensure that the sacrifice made by Dana’s residents is not forgotten and that their community’s history remains a part of Massachusetts’s collective memory.
Today, Dana stands as a poignant reminder of the complex trade-offs sometimes required for public works projects and the lasting impact that such decisions can have on communities and individuals. Its ghost town status is unique in that it was not the result of economic decline or natural disaster, but rather a deliberate policy decision that forever altered the landscape and lives of central Massachusetts.
Sources:
1. New England Today. “Lost Towns of the Quabbin Reservoir.” https://newengland.com/yankee/history/lost-towns-quabbin-reservoir/
2. Out of the Office 4 Good. “Exploring the Abandoned Town of Dana, Massachusetts.” https://www.outoftheoffice4good.com/post/hiking-to-the-abandoned-town-of-dana-massachusetts
3. NBC Boston. “The Dividing Scar: Massachusetts and The Four Lost Towns.” https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/the-dividing-scar-massachusetts-and-the-four-lost-towns/2702103/
4. Telegram & Gazette. “Memories surface at reunion of former Dana residents.” https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/north/2017/07/17/remembering-dana-town-that-gave-way-to-quabbin/20106775007/
5. Albany Hiker. “Ghosts on the Quabbin: The Abandoned Town of Dana, Massachusetts.” http://albanyhiker.blogspot.com/2018/02/ghosts-on-quabbin-abandoned-town-of.html