Wales, Town of

About Us

Wales is a small mountainous town of 853 inhabitants, 166 dwelling-houses, and a valuation of $ 282,754, in the southeast section of Hampden County, and 93 miles southeast of Boston. The nearest railroad station is that of the New London and Northern Railroad, in Monson. Brimfield (from which it was taken) lies on the north, Holland on the east, Stafford and Union, Conn., on the south, and Monson on the west. Mount Hitchcock, in the northwest corner of the town, rises to the height of 1,190 feet, and commands a prospect of remarkable extent and beauty. A fine expanse of water, called ''Wale's Pond,'' sends a tributary northward to the Quinebaug River; and other streams flow from the highlands into Chicopee River. Though small, these rivulets are rapid, and furnish motive power for several mills. There were in the town at one time five woollen and several saw mills and one silk manufactory; there are now two woollen mills, employing, in June, 1885, 194 persons. There were several other small manufactures. The hillsides afford good pasturage, and the valleys excellent land for tillage. The number of farms is 74; whose aggregate product in 1885 was valued at $39,810. A specialty here is the preparation of aromatic and medicinal roots and herbs; which in 1885 yielded $905. The town has one post-office, a good public hall, a public library, six school-houses, a Baptist church and a Methodist church. This town was incorporated as ''South Brimfield District,'' Sept. 18, 1762; and as the town of ''Wales'' (so named from James Lawrence Wales, Esq.), Feb. 20, 1828.