Harvard, Massachusetts
Worcester county. This town was taken from Stow, Groton, and Lancaster, in 1732. It is washed on the W. side by Nashua river. It lies 30 miles N.W. from Boston, 20 N.E. from Worcester, and 13 W. from Concord. Here are two large ponds of fine fish, and quarries of slate used for monuments.
About 200 of that industrious sect, called shakers, reside here, and own a considerable tract of land. They live about 3 miles N.E. of the centre of the town and supply the market with a great variety of wares, fruits, seeds, herbs, &c. &c., the product of their mechanical ingenuity and horticultural skill.
There are three paper mills in Harvard, and manufactures of palm-leaf hats, boots, shoes, leather and grave stones: annual value about $40,000. Large quantities of hops have been raised in this place.—Population, 1837, 1,566.
