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Merrimac
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The town of
Merrimac was first settled by Europeans in the late 1650's, and the
colonists' main crop was corn. As the town grew, Merrimac residents also
pursued maritime trades, fishing for salmon and sturgeon and
shipbuilding as well as acting as the distribution point for sugar and
molasses from teh West Indian trade. By the 19th century, the principal
manufacturing activity was carriage making with thirty-one differnet
carriage factories in town.
The town's eventual growth, however, was residential and by the Second
World War, Merrimac was principally a residential community. In 1955
there were 308 people employed in Merrimac, 39% in manufacturing, 24% in
transporation, 16% in retail and wholesale and 12% in construction. The
bulk of the town's 5,100 population worked elsewhere.
(Narrative based on information provided by the Massachusetts Historical
Commission) |
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LOCATION
Northeastern Massachusetts, bordered by Haverhill on the
southwest, the state of Newbury on the south. Merrimac is 37
miles north of Boston; 78 miles south of Portland, Maine; and
254 miles from New York City.
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Board of Selectmen
Open Town Meeting
YEAR INCORPORATED
As a town: 1876
TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS:
The development of transportation resources in the Merrimack
River Valley, where Merrimac is situated was shaped by the
history of the region as a major site of American industrial
development in the nineteenth century. The area has
exceptionally good highway and rail facilities linking the major
cities and towns to each other and to the port, airport, and
intermodal facilities of Boston.
MAJOR HIGHWAYS
Principal highways are Interstate Route 495 and State Route 110
RAIL
There is no passenger or freight rail service in Merrimac, but
the network of intermodal facilities serving Massachusetts is
easily accessible.
BUS
Merrimac is a member of the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit
Authority (MVRTA), which provides fixed route and paratransit
services during July and August only.
OTHER
The Lawrence Municipal Airport, a Reliever (RL) facility is
located in North Andover. It has 2 asphalt runways 3,901' and
5,000' long. Instrument approaches available: Precision and
non-precision.
*(Information from Mass.gov website)
Click here to visit official Town site |
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