Douglas is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,045 at the 2000 census.
The name of Douglas was first given to the territory of the town in the year 1746. New Sherburn or "New Sherburn Grant" had previously to this date been its designation since its first occupancy by the English settlers which was as early as 1715. The original settlers came primarily from Sherburn, although many hailed from Natick as well. The name was given in 1746, Dr William Douglas, an eminent physician of Boston in consideration of the privilege of naming the township offered the inhabitants the sum of $500.00 as a fund for the establishment of free schools together with a tract of 30 acres (120,000 m2) of land with a dwelling house and barn theron. EN Jenckes store is a museum that depicts early history of Douglas. Douglas's forests gave rise to a woodcutting industry, and the Douglas axe company. A woolen manufacturing company, on the Mumford River in East Douglas, in recent times held by the Schuster family, has been prominent in the history of this community.
The geological formation consists of quartz, feldspar,and mica. Boulders are plentifully scattered all over town and gold and silver ores are said to be found in some localities. Large quantities of building and ornamental stone are quarried from the granite ledges found in the center of town which is shipped to almost every section of New England.
The principal elevations are Bald Hill 711 feet (217 m), Wallum Pond Hill 778 feet (237 m), and Mount Daniel 735 feet (224 m). The largest of the numerous ponds is Wallum Pond in the southwest section, covering about 150 acres (0.6 km2); Badluck Pond in the western part of town covering about 110 acres (0.4 km2); Reservoir Pond also in the western part of town covering about 400 acres (1.6 km2); and Manchaug Pond in the northern part about 93 acres (380,000 m2).
The town is bounded on the north by Oxford, Sutton and Uxbridge, on the east by Sutton and Uxbridge, on the south by Burrillville, RI and on the west by Thompson, CT and Webster.
From a very early period reaching beyond 1635, bands of Native Americans, principally the Nipmuc tribe, monopolized this region of Worcester County. The Blackstone River was once called the Nipmuc River. Most of Douglas is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.[1] References taken from Emerson's History of Douglas by Wm A Emerson 1879.
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