| Location: |
Athol |
| Latitude: |
42.36N |
| Longitude: |
72.14W |
Athol is a town in the Worcester County, in Massachusetts, USA. It was named after the Duke of Atholl. The place lies in the Eastern Standard time zone and is at an elevation of 902 feet. Athol is located on the Millers River, near the Tully Mountains.
It lies between the picturesque Tully Mountains in the North and the Quabbin Reservoir in the South. It is about 25 miles west of Fitchburg, 38 miles northwest of Worcester, 72 miles northwest of Boston, and 182 miles from New York City.
Athol has a Charter form of government. The Charter became effective on July 1, 2000. The Chief Elected Officers are the five members of the Board of Selectmen. The Chief Administrative Officer is the Town Manager.
The place earned the name of a "Tool Town" as it was once a flourishing industrial town dotted with a number of mills and manufacturing units. It has also been a strong metalwork-manufacturing hub since the turn of the century.
Athol combines the charm of a traditional downtown-shopping district with recreational activities like camping, hunting and fishing. The town hosts the annual River Rat Race. This Race, started as a local canoeing event has now evolved into a major tourist and sporting attraction. It is held in the month of April and attracts participants from all over the northeastern United States. The Athol Historical Society hosts performances by a number of artists, musicians, etc. apart from the performances by "Broadway to Town", an active local performing arts group.
The Athol High School caters to the educational needs of the town. Some of the parks in and around Athol are the Athol Gardner Heritage State Park, Otter River State forest, Dunn State park, etc. where one can enjoy activities like boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking, hunting, swimming, etc. Inn at Clamber Hill, Bullard Farm Bed & Breakfast, Super 8 motel Gardner, Clarion Hotel Colonial Hotel, etc. are some of the Athol hotels providing comfortable accommodation
Last Updated Date: September 1st, 2017
