Dracut High School - Dracuteer Yearbook (Dracut, MA)

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ESSAY OF THE TOWN CF DRACUT l'l11s Kell 1'3'1 18 the 750th lHl11XtlHdTY ot tl1e ll1t0l'p0l'dtl0l1 of our to1111 D1atut To co I119Yl10l 1te th1s a111111 919311 the Cla s ot 19111 of D1acut Hlgh bchool has set 1s1de ll 11s XPl1h00lx 1space1n11h1cl1 IN plesented the IilNtOI'1 of Dratut P1o11e1 IT1611t1011 must be L11 e11 to a most authe11t1c book from 11 hlch IS taken much 1aluable data H1sto11 of D1 nut b1 S1115 R toburn Seldom do 111 ot th1s ClNlldIl'llL c11c1 Ltflflll IL llllb th mt our to1111 11 hlch IS just t1 o hunmcd 1nd f1lt1 16118 old his a most tasc11111111g, h1 torlcal background oi 11l11ch 11e car be Justlv 111 oud H 1d It not been T01 the efforts of the early settlers 111 11 ould not h 11e tod11 tl11s 1101111911111 tow11 111 11 mth 11e l11e the present and look forwald to the flltlllf' ThLl9lO19 It IS onlv flttlng that we honor those bra1e men and 110111611 bv lCqLldl1ltll1g' ou1sel1 es 111th the stfr1 of the past D1acut ras a l11sto11 11 ell 11 o1th ou1 dV1aI'6I1t ss It w IN settled ln 1669 by a group ot f01 n1er t helmstold lCSld6lltS among w hom were these KX ell known Dracut names c0bl1ll1 Vsrnum and RlLhdldS0ll H011 e1er the tellltory was not lncorporated as '1 to11n unt1l 1702 when a pet1t1on 101 111corpo1at1o11 11as p1 esented ln the names of the then present D1acut 1es1de11ts to the fenelal Court The petltxon was fa1 orably 190611961 b1 the Loult and a 1epo1t WN as ent back to the Settlers s1gn1t1111g th It the Tow11 of D1acut 11 ould be acknowledged b1 the C ourt from that tlme on The actual date of 111co1porat1on IS l'eb1uar1 26 1702 but becuase of a mlstake found 111 the Lou1t reco1ds the town seal bears the date of 1701 and thls IS the date formallv ICLO llllbd b1 thc to1111 SltUdt9d 34 m1les west of the AtldHtlC Ocean at the mouth of the Merrlmack Rlver 27 1111166 no1th of Boston 1nd 25 mlles south ot Manchester New Hampshlre lt IQ bounded on the 11o1th b1 Pelh 1m New Hlmpshne 011 the east bY Methue11 on the south bv the MQIIIHIRCK R11 er and Low ell 1nd 011 the 11 est b1 the town ot '11ngsbo1o Vhese 116 the boundaues as 11e know them tod'11 At the tlme of the 1ncorporat1o11 ot the 1201111 Dlacut 11 as bounded 011 the 11 est and northwest b1 Dun stable on the north and east b1 111lderness lmd a11d on the south a11d bouthw est bY the Merrlmack R11er und thelmstord 1 l1e populatlon of the tOVSl1 1n 1765 was 1171 At ple ent lt 18 8539 tTo1111 Lensns 10513 The lrea 1s approxlmately 12 530 1c1cs Ol A0 squuc mllcs lhc fnst l'1L11111l1 lllhdbltdllts ot th1s te111to11 X1 e1e ot LOUISQ the Illdldllb lhe Illdl 111 h1stcr1 of lhacut Le11te1s uound the Pawtucket Falls 11l11ch 11 as then part of Dlacut The most p1on11ne11t Illdldfl to take part 1n thos hlstorv wah Passacon 111 a1 thc last chlet ot the Stone Age He 11 as ilso 111101111 as Chlef Sagamore of the se1en1ee11 Ind1a11 tubes 11h1th compused the 'VIe111mack 1alle1 Tr1be Both Pasha co11111a1 and h1s son xV1l1l1clld11C1t 11 e1e 11'19l1tl0l19d 111 numel 0118 transactlons between the 11h1te men a11dthel11d1a11s Passaco11a11a1 1ete1red to b1 mam hlstorlans as the 111sest Ch1ct ot h1s t1n1e ledllled It a11 e11l1 d1te that the settlers 11ere gra dlldlh DlINhlD tha I11fl1 111s 11o1th11 11d to C' nadx D1dCllt was then 116211 111101111 as the 111'de1'11es north ot the Merrlmatk Afte1 the 111601 DOl lt10l1 of the to11 I1 the l ldl 111s called Dracut Augumtoocooke thelr tlansalatlon fO1 the B11t1sh 11ame DFHX cot ' '1 v 1 1 '1 4 1 ' .A11. 1 v ' ' 1 1 ' - 1 V r , 1 0 , 1 ..1- r , 1 -l 1 .. . M 1. -,. '. . . , ' .V ' r . ' 1 1 11. . c . 1 t , -- Q 0 K1 MZ- v 4 S' ' ' v, n 66 '1 av sq 1 7, v T. 1 1 ' , 1 W 4 , A K 11 . ' 1 , 'e, .' j- -gl N: ,--1 .2 ', ' .- Y 7 1 1 2 ' ' I 1 .lv 2 -L1 y 2 L1 1 L1 -'1 K1 1' z y- 'S ' 1 1 1 ' y '1 y ' 1 1 1 ' - ' 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . 1 - . . 1 1 . 1 , U 2 . , , K. J it K . . 1 1 1 1 '1 -1 1 1 1 1 1 11- 111 -1 1 1 ' 1 I L L ,-Ln in K 1 1 . . '. . . . 1 , 1 ' , , c. , 1 . , 1 1 K- f v ' , v 1 ' ' ' 1 ' v1 ' v .1 Q 1 ' K I L1 1. 1 1 K1' .1 1 -1 I ' ' 1 .1 1 V ' I I V Y Y ' 1 1 1 '1 Viv Q 0 v 1' ..Y' . U , 1 1 SY . x A A .Y 4 y Q v Y ' . I ' , . o 1 ' - ' ' 1 1 1 1 7 - , a .1 0 , .., 1 ' I . T 1 1 1 v 4 l . ,, A ., , , 1 ' ' . ' 1 V T ' 1 1 w -1 Dracut IS located 111 Mlddlesex County, 111 the atate of Massachusetts, and lb ' , ' 1 1 1 1 ' 1 ' W ' 1 1 . Q , ' 4 1 1 I 1 1 5 , 1 V ' 1 . , . 1 . 1 . , A . ' 1 v 1 1 1 '1 1 y .1 . , L c , 1 1 c, L , 1' 1 v 1 v v Y ' 1 . 1 4 - ' , . V7 1 1 V 1 , . . 1 . 1 1 1 . . 1 4. sl- 4 1 . CU a ' ' ' 1 11 - 1 1 1 7 - ' 7 ' ' 41 A. . , . K, , L1 2 , 4 3 1 , .. 2 1 , 1 . - 1 , , ' .' 6 I 1 1 ' -1 . v 1 1 w .1 ' v . L. fax , 1 1 1 1 1, 11 . 2 ' 1 ' L 1 1 4' 1 ' 1 , 2 fn, 1 z '1 'l A '11 1 ' 1 '. 1 ' '1 11' 1, 1,1 ' 1 11 '1 1 X x 1 L 1 I 7 g , , 'Q 'hw 5 .7 -1 .1 13 i 1 1 1 y I 1 -1, 1 ' 7 16 I 1 U I ln I 1 ' 1 . V N I - 1 v ' lr Q- 1 v ', 1- an' 1 v .1 r . xy. . -, 1, 1 1 . . - ' 1 ' v .1 1 4 1 l v u ' ' Q 1 , v ' 1 v 1 ' , 1 1 c 1 1 1 ' , '. 1 1 1 .. y 1 ' 1 1 ', ' , . 1. 11 1. , , I .V 1 L 4, : '1' 1' ' , z ' z z : 1' s ' - '- Q A s 'g 1 2 s ' 'z ' ,:1 ' z. - v 1 '- - 1 1 At vi 11 ' ' l Y! M ' 1.1 11 . 1 15 1 ' . 1 ' . 1 1 ' . ' . ,, u ry , .f . 1 1 . . 1 ' , ' 1 f ' ' .' U' .

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Essay of the Town of Dracut Ccontd Q A to the orlcln ofthe name of our toxx n xxe ale referred to the old Lngllsh tamllx name Ihacota xxhlch exlsted as tal bxck as '066 Bmce then there haxe been manx x nrlatlons ln the use ot the name tox example the toxxn of Dlaxcott ln Somersetshlre Pnffland the famllx ot Dx 1 cot m l'xYYlll1Lt0l1 Fngland and m thc nccovds of C hclmsford Draxx Cut Fhere xx ere sex erxl land grants m ide to Dracut settlers bv Colomal authorltles Among the e xx ere The Mllltarx C rant H6191 to members of the 001011131 Armx for 88111068 rendered the Blllerlca C4rant of 4000 1016.8 to that toxxn 800 acles of xxhlch xxele recorded to Dracut lesldents the Batter Mlrtxn and Russell Grants C1600 166 1 xxhlch comblned totaled 1300 xcres Also theInd1anRese1xat1on of 000 acres xxhlch xxa sold to Dracut reeldents bx the lndlans There was another Bnleuca Grant of 1667 of 500 RCIQS whlch ale noxx 1 part of Dracut There xx ere mznx more smaller land grants too numelou to mentlon Most of these were made hx authorltles ln order to nd the toxx n although a fexx xxere 1n exchange for m1l1 tarx serxlces Dracut resxdents took part ln sexeral xxars mcludmc the French and Indlan War the Rex olutlonarv War the Spamsh War bh ax s lteoellxon and the txxo World W mrs Pl'OII1ll1C.lll' Dlacut men ln the Rex 0lL1t10l1 :rx Vx an were C eneral Ioseph Brad lex X lrnum C xptam Peter Cobuln md C xptaln Stephen Russell These men led thelr comp unes throu h sex 91 xl of the most hmous campalcns lll e zrlx Amerxc ln hx tolx lllC,lUdll11 the P xttle ot Bunker Hull and the battles at C oncord and Iexlng ton As for the txvo World Wars lt lSl10f,C,Cl th nt the Drxcut men xx ho took part ln dcfendnu, thelr countrx mamtested the s ame splrlt xx hlch lTllmdt6C'l their ancestors xx hcnexer thc xx ere c alled upon to detend then rn hts and llbcntles The popul txon his mcreased because of the tSt1hllNhIT16llt ot factm les along, the shores ot the 11161 m Loxxell and durlnc the eallx part of the last centurx the I'lXCl proxndcd fm the transportation bx rift ot D1 acut lumber to the shlp bulld nu, xard at Nfxxburxpoxt Among the earllest lecords of the toxx n xxc flnd that an attempt xx as madc to ploxlde fo' a house of xx orshlp The fnst Ol2,'lI1ll d house of xx orshlp lll Dracut xxas the Plr t fOl1g,l'65.,ltl0l1ll Lhulch CH1lls1o.e Church! Other churches mcluded the Paxxtucket Church Dnacut Center Cong,1e 1tl0l1 xl Church CClld Yelloxx Meet ng, Houscl the P llltht Church the hast Dracut Methodlst Church the COHIIIQXIIIS Umcn NIINMJI1 Qt Nlarx s of the AbSUmDtlCH Catho IC Church at Lollmsxllle bt Theresa s C xfhollc Vhurch at Parker Ax enue Bt 'VIarx s of the Lxke Cathollc Church 'lt lake M zscupplc md St DOIUIIIIC s C lfh0llC NIISNIOII at Kenxx ood lhese churches are hsted ln ordel of the time that each xx 1s bllll+ Some of them xx ere bullt solelx or paltlx bx the people xxho lxter attended them Botl the C olllnsxllle Union Church und St lllxrx ot the ANSllmDtlC3l1 Catlfollc Church xxere bullt partlx bx tunrls COl1tl1l'lt9C1 bx Nl! Mxchzel 10111115 zftel xx hom CCIHIYINXIHQ xx as named Because of the M6lY1mdLk Rlxer and lt manx tllblltilx treams tou.nd ln the toxxn one of xx hxch IN Penxer Brook the eaxlx settlers h md an mbundnnt supplx oi xxatex poxx er Fheretole lt xx as posslble to rnamtan gllstmllls and eaxvmllls Later txx o x oolcn mulls xx exe bunlt 1n the toxx n onc on the banks of Pe 1x 81 Blook ln Collxns xxlle md xnothu 1n the Naxx Sand Xxllx e CDI the b xnk ot the same stream 4 'r' 4 4 4 4 x 'I Pu ' x 4 '4 42 '4 ' A4 .4 ' 4-. 4 ' 4 Av I ,Z 4 4 .4 ' 4 4 ' ' 4 ' 4 ' 4. 44 ' 4 ' r , ' x 4. 4 , A ,: 4 M . 1-x 4x . A , A . ., . . ' , . H , 4 ' H , . ,, . , . ' M 41 P4 4 2 4 4 .4 2 4 , L4 I L4 L ' '4 4 ' ' 54' 4 4 - ' ' , ' 4 4 ' v x a, . 1 - , . , 4 V 1 -v' - -H ' '44 ' 4 1,4 4 4 .4 4 - 4 - f 4 - r . , 4 .1 ' u 1 4. 1' I 1 Y 11 W 1 v 4 4 y rl , L . , A4 4 ' El' 4 ' ' 1 ' , . ' .4 ' -- 0 , , . Z 4. 4 , 4' , ' ' v . v 4 1 ' ' 4 Y v , H 4 . M . V, A K. N, U K 4' 4 4 4 4 ' 4 4 4 4 , , . , . 4 4, 4 3 .' 6 ' 4 s Q -s . .' . -4 4 ' ' A4 ' 2' 4 , 4 4 4 ' 44 ' '- v v v. v K lx- .4 I - .4 4 1 4. .43 .A I ir I 4 .4 4 4 ' 4 4 4 '4 4 ' 4 4'4 7 ' ' 4 v 1 . 9 ' 4 4. ' ' 9 z 'f, ' ' ' :X ' ' ,' : 3 . s '- , 4 . , , . c , fc , 1 4: 44 . 4 ' ' 2 ' , ' gr .' ' 'z .' 'z .' ' . ' ' f .' ' 1 j 2 'Q 444 ' . ' ,- ,E ' 4 ' 2 4 4 4 ' 4 4 1 ' - l L. , K., S . 1 - 2 . y . . . K r g, - s sz .' ' 1 ' 1 - s sg Phe Merrlmack R1x'er has been a great tactor 111 the development of our town. l a ' 2 L4 ' 2 .4 44 .4 4 A ,.4 4 'A4 ' 4' K4 ,Y '4 4 .4 ' 4' 4 4 ' v , 4 ' ly I 4 4 lv 4 ti Q .4 4 xv, ' 4 4 4 4' , 4 4 A4 4 4 ' v V4 2 I ' Q 44 4 L4 ' ' - , Z., S I 3 , W4 .. 4 ' 4 4 4 . .H ' 4 4 4 44 4 3 4 . 4 , . ' ' ' s . 'r4 me .3 ' s , fn' . , . , . . 1 A , in C W J v , A W , 4, ,4 '4 ' -4 X4 4 4 '4 5' 1 ' 4' . , , .4 . , , , , . x . .r , 4, . L' t . .' 4 4 ' ' 4 , . 4 '4 '4 ' ' 4 v , 4 y'4 4 ' ' 4: 4 ,z , . , 4 . . K 4 1 ' I I 4 1 . 0 I ' ,W 'Q . .xii 4 C J ln 7 C , 4 C A xx , k 1 t4 4 4 'K4 ' 4 ' I4 4 42,4 ' U. K' 4 ' I v 4 I 7 Y v 1 1 I I ' x Y . 1 v. . 4 ' I 4 C ' 4 .I 4 Y 4 N I ' ' I tvvbz . Aukv h . 'J A ' it n v I 4 .V .Y ' , . 4' , 4 . ,' , , ' ' 4 , , 4 1 ' . 4' 44 4 4 4 4 . 4 4 1 4, 1 . 4 4 5 kv O . 1 1 . ' A - S I -' 1- 1 'tv S 1 K1 ' l . , V .A , K. 1 2 , . . 1 . K. I Q 2 2 L. l 'n Q 1 V I 1 ' va 1 44. o . 1 . '4 -0.1 . 1 I 4 ' ' . , . .. . . . . . .. , f xx 1 .- ': ' ' .' .af ' ' .- ' 4,4 4: 2' -' ag. 1 z s .