Town in Massachusetts You’d Least Like To Live In? (Lowell: closing, salary)

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by massnative71

I've heard the town Salisbury being described as gritty (as opposed to "lower class"), with the beach being known as "Lawrence by the Sea" and attracting a trashy crowd during summer weekends. That could be old news.



Somerset, Swansea, and Seekonk are just regular suburbs; only they are suburbs of Providence and Fall River so they are a kind of off Boston's radar. Seekonk I would describe as middle to upper-middle-class, Swansea middle class, and Somerset lower-middle (it's more associated with Fall River). All those towns contain some very nice and then some more modest areas. Rte. 6 in Seekonk I wouldn't describe as depressing at all, that's a pretty healthy retail hub for that entire area of MA and East Bay RI. Maybe you are referring to the little stretch around the Speedway? Further east towards Somerest, yeah you start seeing a little more blight. And of course the Swansea Mall is now a vacant eyesore. That S&S is right on the border with RI, many or most of the people you came in contact with were likely from across the border. East Providence is more economically mixed than Seekonk, Barrington is wealthier.

I would imagine Salisbury is gentrifying pretty quickly. Anything on the beach is over $1 million. Taxes and insurance make for high home ownership costs.

Somerset is struggling with the power plant shutdown. Everyone just got crushing property tax bills since the power plant is no longer subsidizing the town. The only thing I know about Swansea is Yankee Spirits. Really good wine selection. I buy gasoline at Seekonk exit 1 all the time. Cheapest gasoline around. I have no experience with the residential part of town. Route 6 is just as ugly as it is in my town.

[masssachoicetts]

Last time I went to Salisbury (2018?) .. it was nice. It looks a typical Jersey Shore town.

[jayrandom]

I'm going to change my answer to Enfield.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I'm going to change my answer to Enfield.

And you know it's in CT. But there used to be an Enfield, MA. It was next to WARE. Mostly a little manufacturing town but it was destroyed when they made Quabbin Reservoir. What's left of it is probably mostly underwater.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

And you know it's in CT. But there used to be an Enfield, MA. It was next to WARE. Mostly a little manufacturing town but it was destroyed when they made Quabbin Reservoir. What's left of it is probably mostly underwater.

I think that might be part of the joke lol

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

I think that might be part of the joke lol

Scuba diving, anyone?

[thenewtexan]

Originally Posted by FCMA

Yes it was. https://www.townofwinchendon.com/our...ring-community

Not really. It was never a "mill town" just because of one mill that closed in the 1930s, not to the extent Athol, Southbridge, Northbridge, Uxbridge etc. were post 1950.

[FCMA]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Not really. It was never a "mill town" just because of one mill that closed in the 1930s, not to the extent Athol, Southbridge, Northbridge, Uxbridge etc. were post 1950.

You have a high bar for low places. So it’s been destined to be a rural fentanyl den since its inception and no factory economy ever drew people there? The network of mill ponds on the Millers suggests quite a few other industries at one time. And the factory ruins dominating a couple parts of town.

Your logic might also disqualify Ware from meriting discussion in this thread. Just too small to call a milltown and the mill closed in the 1930s.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by FCMA

You have a high bar for low places. So it’s been destined to be a rural fentanyl den since its inception and no factory economy ever drew people there? The network of mill ponds on the Millers suggests quite a few other industries at one time. And the factory ruins dominating a couple parts of town.

Your logic might also disqualify Ware from meriting discussion in this thread. Just too small to call a milltown and the mill closed in the 1930s.

Clearly uninformed.

Winchendon, beyond it's once prominent textile mills (of which there were two) also housed toy, furniture, and industrial (acid?) manufacturing. In fact, the Winchendon Furniture Company's "Planner Group" series, designed by MA native Paul McCobb, is regarded as one of the high points of American Mid-century modern design. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/s...val-milan.html

So yes, there have been multiple industries in Winchendon, some of which remain despite claims that a "single mill shut down in the 1930's".

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Scuba diving, anyone?

Haha. Although it would be cool to see some of the geological aspects of the town.. see whats buried deep beneath. Lost treasures.