Ware, town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Ware is a small town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, situated in a valley surrounded by forests and rivers. The town is home to about 10,000 residents and spreads across gentle hills featuring historic mill buildings along the Ware River and Swift River.
Ware was founded in 1717 and began as a farming settlement before developing into a mill and textile center. The Otis Company became its largest employer in the 1800s, making the town known for producing cotton products like denim and canvas.
The name Ware comes from the fish traps, or weirs, that the Nipmuc people built along the Ware River centuries ago. Today residents walk through town and along the rivers, connected to the memory of the mills that once defined daily life.
Ware is accessible via Route 9 or Route 32, and sits near exit 63 of the Massachusetts Turnpike for easy arrival. The town lacks public transit within its borders, so having a car helps you move around freely and reach nearby attractions.
The Otis Company was once the town's major employer, earning it the nickname "The Town That Can't Be Licked" for bouncing back from hard times. In the 1930s, Ware gained additional land when nearby towns like Enfield and Greenwich were flooded to create the Quabbin Reservoir.
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