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The
Town of Orange Ma is an industrial and population center on the eastern
boundary of Franklin County. The town was established in 1810, but settlers
had been using the water power of the Millers River for manufacturing since
the damming of the river in 1790. The community is made up of sections
of Athol, Warwick, Roylaston and a tract of land called Ervinshire. It
was named for William, Prince of Orange. True to its industrial past, Orange
was the site of the first automobile factory in the United States.
The Historical Society maintains
a 1904 Grout auto as an example of the kinds of cars built in Orange as
well as a large pewter collection and antique musical instruments. Industrial
products from Orange today include heavy machinery, precision tools, plastics
and wood products. The Rodney Hunt Company, producing water control equipment,
is one of the largest employers in Franklin County.
Orange Airport Industrial Park provides
a site for industrial expansion, while open lands offering camping and
maple sugaring to visitors provide some rural character. In April, the
annual River Rat Race brings hundreds of canoes and thousands of visitors
to see winners cross the finish line in Orange.
Orange Mass is located in Central
Massachusetts, bordered by Rutland and Paxton on the east, Spencer on the
south, New Braintree on the southeast, and Barre on the northwest. Oakham
is 18 miles west of Worcester, 56 miles west of Boston, |